Moving beyond fitting fish into equations: Progressing the fish passage debate in the Anthropocene

• Published in: Aquatic conservation Vol. 29; no. 7; pp. 1095 - 1105
• Main Authors: Birnie‐Gauvin, Kim, Franklin, Paul, Wilkes, Martin, Aarestrup, Kim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2019
• Subjects: Animal migration; Anthropocene; Anthropocene epoch; Barriers; biodiversity; conservation; dams; Design criteria; ecological engineering; Ecosystem management; Ecosystems; equations; Fish; Fish ladders; Fishways; Freshwater; Freshwater ecosystems; Freshwater fish; Geomorphology; habitat; habitats; hydropower; Inland water environment; management; Migratory species; Northern Hemisphere; Rivers; Salmonidae; Salmonids; Strategic management; Swimming; Tropical climate; Tropical environment; Tropical environments; Tropical fish; tropics; weirs
• DOI: 10.1002/aqc.2946
• ISSN: 1052-7613

Realization of the importance of fish passage for migratory species has led to the development of innovative and creative solutions (‘fishways’) to mitigate the effects of artificial barriers in freshwater systems in the last few decades. In many instances, however, the first move has been to attempt to engineer a solution to the problem, thus attempting to ‘fit fish into an equation’. These fishways are often derived from designs targeting salmonids in the Northern Hemisphere. They are rarely adequate, even for these strong‐swimming fish, and certainly appear to be unsuitable for most other species, not least for those of tropical regions. Fishway design criteria do not adequately account for natural variation among individuals, populations and species. Moreover, engineered solutions cannot reinstate the natural habitat and geomorphological properties of the river, objectives that have been largely ignored. This article discusses the most prominent issues with the current management and conservation of freshwater ecosystems as it pertains to fish passage. It is not intended as a review on fish passage, but rather a perspective on the issues related to fishways, as seen by practitioners.