A partnership between…
Keepfish
Knowledge Exchange for Efficient Passage of Fish
Keepfish
Keepfish ...it’s global
Knowledge Exchange for Efficient Passage of Fish The world’s rivers are under pressure. Dams and other barriers block the movements of fish, stopping them from reaching the habitats they need to grow and reproduce. Because of this, people who rely on fishing in rivers are going hungry. On the other hand, river barriers can provide important services to society, like hydroelectric, clean water and flood control. This problem has led to the development of structures called ‘fishways’ that are specifically designed to get fish over barriers. But fishways only really work for large fish like salmon. Our project aims to find the most efficient ways to allow even the smallest fishes to get through. This work was funded by the European Commission through the Marie Sklodowska-Curie action, ‘Knowledge Exchange for Efficient Passage of Fish in the Southern Hemisphere’. (RISE-2015-690857-KEEPFISH)
A ‘vertical slot’ fishway in Southeast Australia, where migratory fish of all shapes and sizes need to move up and down the river at different times of the year.
Meet the team
The Keepfish team’s work has taken them to six continents in their search for the best solutions to get fish over barriers. From the huge salmon of the Pacific Northwest of the USA to the tiny migratory ‘galaxids’ of southern Australia, New Zealand and South America, all fish need to move!
Keepfish ...it’s multicultural
It’s not only scientists who can help us to better understand the problem and find great solutions. Fisherfolk, indigenous people and others who use the river can all contribute knowledge about fish and their environment.
Keepfish ...it’s science and engineering!
A Mapuche leader in Chile shares his people’s folklore and knowledge of rivers.
Although it’s serious business, our work can be really good fun. We get to build cool stuff, play games with computer models, and go fishing! The international KEEPFISH team on site in Chile, 2017.
For more information, visit: www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-directories/current-projects/2015/keepfish Project partner locations
Other project locations