Ecological continuity on the Rhine: the response of NGOs!

In view of the next Ministerial Conference, which will take place in Amsterdam in 2020, environmental protection NGOs from the Rhine basin in favor of the ecological continuity of the Upper Rhine have just published a common position, in which they make known their requirements.

Indeed, at the last plenary meeting of the ICPR in Malbun in July 2019, France communicated its global plan for the restoration of ecological continuity of the Rhine between Rhinau and Vogelgrün.
Despite the implementation of the new “Living Rhine Plan”, which they welcome and approve, the NGOS deplore that the deadline of 2020 originally planned, nor any other deadline, is no longer included in the French program.

As a result, NGOs are demanding that all necessary work to ensure ecological continuity and relocation of naturally balanced salmon populations in the Rhine Basin to Basel be completed by the end of 2025.
They also call for a review clause for late 2022 and for a progress report.

>> For more details, read the position of associations (available in French and in German only)
> Read also our previous news about Rhine (July 2019)

>> French flyer “Plan Rhin Vivant”

 

 

German Fisheries Federation and 23 other German, French and Swiss organisations are calling for a reconsideration of net fishing before the Rhine estuary

On 19.11.2019, a delegation from the German Fisheries  – The Deutscher Angelfischerverband e.V,  submitted a petition to the Dutch Parliament in The Hague.

The petition calls for a rethink of commercial net fishing at the Haringvliet dam at the mouth of the Rhine. After their confluence, the Rhine, the Meuse and the Merwede de Nieuwe reach the North Sea via the Haringvliet. The Haringvliet Dam is the largest tidal barrier in Europe. The Haringvliet locks have been open in places since autumn 2018, improving the continuity of migratory fish.

With the opening of the Haringvliet part of a common master plan of the countries bordering the Rhine was carried out, so that the fish can migrate freely. In this context, however, it was certainly not anticipated that they would migrate directly into the nets or cages in front of the estuary.

Millions of euros have already been invested to restore ecological continuity across the Rhine. In Germany, France and Switzerland, there are many programmes for the reintroduction of migratory fish into the Rhine, such as salmon and sea trout.

In addition, passing through the estuary; fish need to get used to the transition from fresh water to salt water. A sensitive process that takes some time, because the body of the fish has to change to do so. Thus, net fishing at this hotspot hinders the protection of fish and thus the success of reintroduction projects.

Germany’s petition received a wide response from the press in Holland. For example, Dutch public television MPO1 reported extensively on the petition in the Evening News (NOS-Journal). The Dutch Parliament will consider the petition and next steps in Harlingvliet in the Fisheries Commission on 5 December 2019.

More infos

Rhine : Commission urges FRANCE to step up efforts to restore the ecological flow of the Rhine River

Photo : Copyright EDF

 

Commission urges FRANCE to step up efforts to restore the ecological flow of the Rhine River

The Commission is calling on Franceto comply with its obligations under EU law (the Water Framework Directive, Directive 2000/60/EC. The Commission urges the French authorities to improve the condition of the Rhine River on its territory to ensuring ecological continuity, namely allowing fish species to migrate beyond dams. Under the Directive, adopted in October 2000, Member States agreed to take measures to ensure that water bodies achieve good ecological status by 2015. EU countries have to comply with a number of conditions set out in the EU legislation, regarding biodiversity, pollution, and natural flow. The deadline may be extended under certain conditions, but the Commission is concerned that France has not provided sufficient justifications for postponing the date of compliance. In addition, the French authorities have not provided a timetable with a programme for meeting these EU norms. France now has two months to address the Commission’s concerns. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/EN/INF_19_4251

Remember : ERN supported by the international Salmon Comeback Coalition (NGOs)  filed an EU complaint against France end of 2018 . ERNs complaint is directed at France due to the infringement of the Water Frame Directive

> Visite the salmoncomeback Campaign Website

Ecological continuity on the Rhine : France singled out at the ICPR !

Cliquer sur l’image pour agrandir

Despite some interesting proposals made by France at the plenary meeting of the ICPR (International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine), held on 4-5 July 2019, the long series of promises not kept by France (and by EDF) continues …
The great novelty is the proposal to restore ecological continuity by favoring the “loops” (Schlingen) of the old Rhine which bypass the large dams Rhinau, Marckolsheim and Vogelgrün, all impassable in both directions to this day. In the loops, France will erase, circumvent or equip the small ‘agricultural’ weyrs dams aswell as the dams who controles the waterflow.
If this proposal could make it possible to establish quickly the connection with German tributaries favorable to the reproduction of salmon, it seems unrealistic on the calendar side, and especially not enough to allow the access of the salmon to Basel as promised for 2020. Indeed, despite the French promises to increase the flow in the hydraulic annexes, the majority of migratory fish will always seek to use the canal where the flow is the most important.
The Delegations of Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, as well as many NGOs (observers) , reacted strongly to this proposal by accusing France of wanting to escape the equipment of the large dams themselves, or of push him back to 2043 at best.
Following the reactions It is not understandable that France gives up its promises to equip large dams as soon as possible. It is essential to restore fish continuity both in the main channel of the canal and in the hydraulic annexes. The question should be decided at the Ministerial Conference of the countries bordering the Rhine in Amsterdam, Spring 2020. This retreat of France may undermine the Rhine Plan 2040 currently being drafted.
To learn more about restoring ecological continuity on the Rhine, visit Salmon Comeback

Netherlands : Gateway to the Rhine open for salmon

Photo Guy Warzée

November the 15 the Netherlands were celebrating the opening of the storm surge barrier on the Haringvliet, exactly 47 years after the Haringvliet sluices were rendered operative. That is where one of the three branches of the Rhine flows out into the North Sea. Until now, the storm surge barrier was a major obstacle to the passage of salmon and sea trout into the Rhine delta. Its partial opening greatly increases the chance that salmon and other “long distance migratory fish” will gain access to the Rhine catchment area. In addition, letting in saline water will improve the biodiversity of Haringvliet water.

Because of the drought that has affected the Netherlands over the past few months and the low river discharge, the sluices still remain closed on 15 November, only the decree has been officially adopted. They will from now operate in a fish friendly way in a “learning by doing” approach. As soon as sufficient fresh river water is entering into the Haringvliet Lake they partially open the sluices (maybe this week). If too much saline water is entering, the sluices will be closed. 

The partial opening of the Haringvliet barriers has figured on the long list of measures advocated by environmental associations and the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR) for decades. Tenacity and commitment to conservation of nature and the environment has been effective.

Now the Rhine goes open until France and Rhinau hydropower plant. But France and EDF are still making no real progress with the construction of fish ladders at their 3 hydropower plants to enabling migratory fish to make their way up the Upper Rhine at long last. More than ever, effort has to be continued and it is up to France to respond to the great challenges on the Upper Rhine.   

The lack of action on the part of EDF might lead to a situation in which the statutory requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) are missed by a wide margin.  

The environmental associations in the Rhine catchment area have therefore registered an appeal seeking to oblige the EU Commission to open proceedings against the French Republic for breach of treaty obligations because of failure to comply with the WFD. We hope that France will at last put this topic on the top of his priority list !! 

 More info :

Read more : www.salmoncomeback.org and last press release from salmon comeback 

Rhine River : Dear Mr. Hulot, French Minister of Ecology

Rhine River : The international NGO coalition “Salmon Comeback » adresse a letter to the french Minister for Ecology Nicolas Hulot.

The NGO Coalition ask Nicolas Hulot to change the policy to restore the ecological continuity on the Rhine and to cancel the project of a mobil fishpass…
Read the pressrelease (French only)
Read the letter (French only)

Rhine River : It was just a dream…

It was just a dream and a April Fool’s day trick. EDF is NOT demolishing the Vogelgrün Dam. The salmon must wait and the Salmoncomeback-Coalition has to strenghten its campaign for a free Rhine river . . .

more information : www.salmoncomeback.org

Photo Vogelgrün

Rhine River : EDF decides to demolish the Vogelgrün Hydro Power Station

Due to technical issues in making the Vogelgrün dam passable for fish and the current financial difficulties faced by EDF, a surprising decision has been made to demolish the power station. Usually well-informed sources have said the removal should be completed at the same time as the opening of the Haringsvliet in Holland, at the latest by the end of 2018. A planned, hugely expensive mobile fish passage project is to be replaced by accelerating the adaption of the generation facility between Strassburg and Vogelgrün. This should ensure the free passage of salmon as far as Basel by 2020 in order to meet the conditions of the international agreement.

more information : www.salmoncomeback.org