Fish‐Net: Probabilistic models for fishway planning,design and monitoring to support environmentally sustainable hydropower

The construction of fishways for upstream and downstream connectivity is the preferred mitigation measure for hydropower dams and other riverine barriers. Yet empirical evidence for effective design criteria for many species is missing. We therefore assembled a group of international fishway designers and combined their knowledge with available empirical data using a formal expert elicitation protocol and Bayesian networks. The expert elicitation method we use minimizes biases typically associated with such approaches. Demonstrating our application with a case‐study on the temperate Southern Hemisphere, we use the resulting probabilistic models to predict the following, given alternative design parameters: (i) the effectiveness of technical fishways for upstream movement of migratory fish; (ii) habitat quality in nature‐like bypasses for resident fish; and (iii) rates of mortality during downstream passage of all fish through turbines and spillways. The Fish Passage Network (Fish‐Net) predicts that fishways for native species could be near 0% or near 100% efficient depending on their design, suggesting great scope for adequate mitigation. Sensitivity analyses revealed the most important parameters as follows: (i) design of attraction and entrance features of technical fishways for upstream migration; (ii) habitat preferences of resident fish in nature‐like bypasses; and (iii) susceptibility of fish to barotrauma and blade strike during turbine passage. Numerical modelling predicted that mortality rates of small‐bodied fish (50–100 mm TL) due to blade strike may be higher for Kaplan than Francis turbines. Our findings can be used to support environmentally sustainable decisions in the planning, design and monitoring stages of hydropower development.     

Ecological impacts of small hydropower plants on headwater stream fish: from individual to community effects

Hydroelectricity is increasingly used worldwide as a source of renewable energy, and many mountain ranges have dozens or hundreds of hydropower plants, with many more being under construction or planned. Although the ecological impacts of large dams are relatively well known, the effects of small hydropower plants and their weirs have been much less investigated. We studied the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants on fish assemblages in the upper Ter river basin (Catalonia, NE Spain), which has headwater reaches with good water quality and no large dams but many of such plants. We studied fish populations and habitat features on control and impacted reaches for water diversion of 16 hydropower plants. In the impacted reaches, there was a significantly lower presence of refuges for fish, poorer habitat quality, more pools and less riffles and macrophytes, and shallower water levels. We also observed higher fish abundance, larger mean fish size and better fish condition in the control than in impacted reaches, although the results were species‐specific. Accordingly, species composition was also affected, with lower relative abundance of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and Pyrenean minnow (Phoxinus bigerri) in the impacted reaches and higher presence of stone loach (Barbatula quignardi) and Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis). Our study highlights the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants from the individual to the population and community levels but probably underestimates them, urging for further assessment and mitigation of these ecological impacts.     

Behaviour and mortality of downstream migrating Atlantic salmon smolts at a small power station with multiple migration routes

Salmon smolts were released upstream of a run‐of‐river hydropower site and recaptured downstream for inspection. Descending fish behaviour through three possible migration routes (turbines, fishway, spillway) was analysed using telemetry, fyke nets and diving. Tagged smolts did not follow the main water flow; over 70% used the fishway, which received only about 10% of the flow. The turbines received about 80% of the water, but <25% of the smolts. Smolts were not fully stopped from entering the turbines by the 25‐mm bar racks. Mortality of smolts passing through the Kaplan turbines was at minimum 36%. No mortality was found in fish moving through the fishway or spillway. This shows that small and fast‐rotating Kaplan turbines can cause relatively high mortality. No mortality in alternative migration routes resulted in a total mortality for descending smolts at the hydropower station of 8.5%, emphasising the importance of providing functional alternative migration routes.     

Development of external and neutrally buoyant acoustic transmitters for juvenile salmon turbine passage evaluation

Fish can sustain injury or mortality when they pass through hydroelectric facilities. To develop a method to monitor the passage and survival of juvenile salmonids without bias through turbines within the Federal Columbia River Power System, we developed and fabricated two designs of neutrally buoyant transmitters: Type A (sutured to the dorsal musculature of the fish anterior to the dorsal fin) and Type B (two-part design attached with wire pushed through the dorsal musculature, ventral to the dorsal fin). To determine the efficacy of the two designs under non-turbine passage-related conditions, fish had one of the tags attached and were held for 14 days to determine any potential effects of the tags on growth, survival and tissue damage. We also evaluated the attachment method by monitoring tag retention. These two neutrally buoyant tag designs were compared to nontagged individuals and those surgically implanted with current Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) transmitters and passive integrated responder (PIT) tags. In addition, two suture materials (Monocryl and Vicryl Rapide) were tested for attachment of Type A tags. When compared with non-tagged individuals, fish tagged with Type A tags did not differ significantly with respect to growth or mortality over a 14-d holding period. However, fish tagged with Type B transmitters had lower growth rates than the nontagged controls or other tag treatments. The efficacy of two designs was also compared to nontagged individuals under shear exposure. Fish were exposed to a submerged, 6.35-cm-diameter water jet at velocities ranging from 3.0 to 12.2 m/s in a water flume to simulate turbine conditions within the Columbia River basin. Throughout the shear exposure study, no mortalities or tag loss were observed. There was also no significant difference in the rates of shear injury between untagged fish and fish tagged with Type A or Type B tags. When tissue damage was assessed for tagged individuals exposed to shear forces, those tagged with Type A tags showed lower rates and severity of injury when compared to Type B-tagged fish. Overall, Type A tags may be a viable tag design for juvenile Chinook salmon passing through hydropower facilities.     

A critical analysis of the direct effects of dredging on fish

Dredging can have significant impacts on aquatic environments, but the direct effects on fish have not been critically evaluated. Here, a meta‐analysis following a conservative approach is used to understand how dredging‐related stressors, including suspended sediment, contaminated sediment, hydraulic entrainment and underwater noise, directly influence the effect size and the response elicited in fish across all aquatic ecosystems and all life‐history stages. This is followed by an in‐depth review summarizing the effects of each dredging‐related stressor on fish. Across all dredging‐related stressors, studies that reported fish mortality had significantly higher effect sizes than those that describe physiological responses, although indicators of dredge impacts should endeavour to detect effects before excessive mortality occurs. Studies examining the effects of contaminated sediment also had significantly higher effect sizes than studies on clean sediment alone or noise, suggesting additive or synergistic impacts from dredging‐related stressors. The early life stages such as eggs and larvae were most likely to suffer lethal impacts, while behavioural effects were more likely to occur in adult catadromous fishes. Both suspended sediment concentration and duration of exposure greatly influenced the type of fish response observed, with both higher concentrations and longer exposure durations associated with fish mortality. The review highlights the need for in situ studies on the effects of dredging on fish which consider the interactive effects of multiple dredging‐related stressors and their impact on sensitive species of ecological and fisheries value. This information will improve the management of dredging projects and ultimately minimize their impacts on fish.     

Turbine entrainment and passage of potadromous fish through hydropower dams: Developing conceptual frameworks and metrics for moving beyond turbine passage mortality

Potadromous fishes are vulnerable to involuntary entrainment through hydropower turbines. However, turbines can also provide a downstream passage route for potadromous fish. Here, we review evidence for turbine entrainment and passage in potadromous fish, and evaluate the effects of these processes on upstream and downstream populations. We develop conceptual frameworks and metrics to quantify vulnerability to turbine entrainment removals, and to quantify the efficiency of turbines as a downstream passage route. We highlight factors that influence these processes and provide case‐studies demonstrating their applicability. We found that juvenile potadromous fish are being entrained through turbines at rates high enough to impact upstream populations. Given that juvenile passage survival is often high, we argue that turbines provide an important downstream passage route for potadromous fish. We show that entrainment vulnerability is likely a function of interactions between in‐reservoir fish behaviour, habitat configuration and operations and thus not well captured by passage mortality estimates. Similarly, we show that while passage mortality can limit downstream passage efficiency, passage success is also dependent on reservoir and forebay navigation, along with survival and fitness in the downstream river. We advocate for a shift in focus away from estimates of passage mortality and injury, which have previously accounted for the majority of turbine passage research. Instead, we recommend an approach that focusses on quantification of the factors that influence downstream passage efficiency and entrainment vulnerability. Moreover, we highlight the need to better understand the broader scale impacts of these events on upstream and downstream populations.     

Catch‐related fish injury and catch efficiency of stow‐net‐based fish recovery installations for fish‐monitoring at hydropower plants

Hydropower‐related damage to fish remains a great challenge, making objective monitoring of turbine‐related fish injury a necessity. The catch of fish at turbine outlets is currently realised by net fishing, but potential catch‐related injuries are largely unknown. Catch efficiency and fish‐friendliness in relation to fish handling, exposure time, floating debris and fish biomass of four fish recovery installations were assessed using seven species. Highly species‐specific lethal and sublethal effects were observed. Exposure time had the strongest effects on catch‐related damage, being up to 150‐fold increase after 12 hr compared to 1 hr. Up to 84% mortality occurred in the most sensitive species Thymallus thymallus L. Besides exposure time, higher current speed and biomass within the net resulted in greater fish damage. To minimise catch‐related effects, keeping emptying periods <1–2 hr and considering the effects of current speed, fish and debris biomass are crucial to increase data comparability among studies.     

Large‐scale patterns of fish diversity and assemblage structure in the longest tropical river in Asia

Although the Mekong River is one of the world's 35 biodiversity hot spots, the large‐scale patterns of fish diversity and assemblage structure remain poorly addressed. This study aimed to investigate the fish distribution patterns in the Lower Mekong River (LMR) and to identify their environmental determinants. Daily fish catch data (i.e. from December 2000 to November 2001) at 38 sites distributed along the LMR were related to 15 physicochemical and 19 climatic variables. As a result, four different clusters were defined according to the similarity in assemblage composition and 80 indicator species were identified. While fish species richness was highest in the Mekong delta and lowest in the upper part of the LMR, the diversity index was highest in the middle part of the LMR and lowest in the delta. We found that fish assemblages changed along the environmental gradients and that the main drivers affecting the fish assemblage structure were the seasonal variation of temperature, precipitation, dissolved oxygen, pH and total phosphorus. Specifically, upstream assemblages were characterised by cyprinids and Pangasius catfish, well suited to low temperature, high dissolved oxygen and high pH. Fish assemblages in the delta were dominated by perch‐like fish and clupeids, more tolerant to high temperatures, and high levels of nutrients (nitrates and total phosphorus) and salinity. Overall, the patterns were consistent between seasons. Our study contributes to establishing the first holistic fish community study in the LMR.     

Impact of sublethal di‐n‐butyl phthalate on the aquaculture fish species Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): histopathology and oxidative stress assessment

Phthalates such as di‐n‐butyl phthalate (DBP) and their esters are widely used plasticizers, their ubiquitous presence in daily life, inevitably leads to their restricted use due to important environmental pollution and health impacts and endocrine disruption potential. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a sublethal concentration of 10 mg L^?1 DBP on haematocrit (HCT) values, gills and liver histology, malondialdehyde (MDA, 2‐thiobarbituric acid‐TBA reactivity) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in gills and liver tissue as oxidative stress biomarkers in the aquaculture fish species Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after 24 (DBP‐24) and 96 (DBP‐96) h exposure. No differences were found between per cent HCT values in the 24 h exposure groups (P > 0.05). Response of antioxidant defence systems in liver and gill tissues of the fish were dependent on exposure duration and changed to a higher extent during 96 h. MDA levels in liver tissue increased in DBP treated fish in comparison to the control fish. However, the differences between the exposure and control groups were not significant (P > 0.05). A statistically significant decrease (P > 0.05) was recorded in gill MDA levels in the DBP‐96 group when compared to the control and DBP‐24 groups. The liver GSH levels were unchanged in the DBP treated fish. However, GSH levels were significantly lower in the gill tissue of the DBP‐96 group. Exposure to DBP caused several degenerative changes in the histology of gill and liver tissue. Gills displayed hyperaemia, epithelial lifting, oedema, talengiectasia, epithelial hyperplasia and fusion of secondary lamellae, whereas in liver several circulatory anomalies (hyperaemia, blood congestion and sinosoid dilatation) and vacuolization of hepatocytes were observed. Histopathological results demonstrated that the gills were more affected than the liver perhaps due to their direct contact with DBP.     

Effect of phenanthrene on haematological parameters in olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus (Temminch et Schlegel)

Effects of phenanthrene on haematological parameters in olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, were studied by exposing fish to water‐borne phenanthrene (0.5, 1 and 2 μM) for 4 weeks. Red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit levels decreased with increasing exposure time of phenanthrene to the fish. Plasma potassium level increased significantly in the experimental group but the levels of sodium and chloride were significantly decreased compared with control. There was no significant change in plasma magnesium, calcium and phosphate in fish of all treated groups compared with the control. The most profound physiological disturbance in phenanthrene‐exposed fish was a decrease in blood osmolality. Malondialdehyde level in the plasma in the phenanthrene group (2 μM) was 1.4‐fold higher following 4‐week exposure compared with the control group. Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased as the concentration of phenanthrene increased, reaching 65.9% of the control value at the highest dose at the 4th week. A key finding from this study is that olive flounder exposed to phenanthrene at concentrations more than 1.0 μM are likely to experience negative impacts on haematological parameters.