Current Status of Protection of Silver Eels at Hydro Power Stations in Germany

According to the Council Regulation of 18 September 2007 establishing measures for recovery of the stock of European eel, the Member States must significantly improve both upstream directed migration of juvenile eels as well as protection and downstream migration of Silver Eels at hydropower plants. Since then, various measures have been implemented in some rivers and hydro installations: mechanical fish protection systems with a flow rate up to 70 m³/s, special bypass systems, trap and truck as well as eel friendly turbine management with early warning systems on large hydropower plants and modified turbine runners. The contribution discusses the different methods and shows the overall survival rates that can be achieved in individual river systems.