The open day, taking place on Thursday 19 September, will enable people to find out more about a study to monitor the behaviour of fish and other animals as they use the area around the Tees Barrage for migration and feeding.
The study forms the final year of a fish tagging and monitoring programme into the behaviour of salmon and trout as they migrate upstream and aims to assess potential improvements to the fish pass originally installed when the Barrage was built.
Monitoring movements
The tagging involves humanely fitting fish with acoustic transmitters and monitoring their movements using a network of receivers in the river and around the barrage. This enables fisheries experts to monitor the behaviour of the fish and observe how they make their way through the barrage area.
The open day will give people the opportunity to meet experts from the Canal & River Trust, the Environment Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) who are carrying out the study.
Ecologists will be on hand to explain how the study works, how the fish are tagged and monitored and also how the behaviour of the local seal population is being observed. There will also be the opportunity for people to take a tour of the barrage and to see for themselves the fish monitoring equipment being used and the passes that fish use to migrate upstream.
Understanding fish behaviour
Jonathan Hart-Woods, environment manager, with the Canal & River Trust said: “We're looking forward to welcoming people to the barrage and explaining the detailed work that's taking place to get a better understanding of fish behaviour on the river.
“It's a fairly complicated situation and the best way of explaining it to people is for them to see what we're doing for themselves. Hopefully people will find the day enjoyable and informative and go away feeling assured that all the agencies involved are doing all they can to get a better understanding of how fish are using the barrage area.”
The open day is taking place in two sessions (10.30 - 12.30 and 1.30 - 3.30). Places on either session should be booked in advance by calling 0113 2816871 or emailing [email protected]
