High-tech for nature
VERBUND is investing around 400 million euros in ecological measures along the rivers in Austria and Bavaria. These include new habitats, renaturalisation and, above all, fish migration aids that help to overcome barrages and power plants. One outstanding example of this is the Feldkirchen am Inn power plant on the Danube.
The power plant went into operation in 1970 and a modern fish migration aid was built here in 2015. The Hammerbach stream, which runs parallel to the Inn, was turned into a lively tributary, creating a valuable refuge and habitat for numerous fish species. But how well is this new section actually being accepted?
Science in action
Answers are being provided by the Technical University of Munich, which has been researching the local fish stocks since 2015. This involves a lot of manual labour and intuition. More than 27,000 fish have already been caught on the Inn, identified, measured and tagged with a tiny transmitter.
The process is somewhat reminiscent of pet identification: trained veterinarians put the animals under a brief anaesthetic and inject a small microchip under their skin. The fish then swim freely again and send signals that provide valuable data on their migratory movements. This reveals which species are using the new routes and where there are obstacles. "Chip the Fish" impressively demonstrates how high-tech and nature conservation can go hand in hand.
Modern power plant operation and active environmental protection are a wonderful symbiosis for the benefit of all - it's about preserving our livelihoods! We think that's #schongenial.
