Workers remove stone weir to restore fish migration in Belgian stream
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The company Martin Hussin removed a stone weir from the ruisseau des Gérinaux in the village of Sautour, Belgium.
This action restored the natural flow of the stream, which is a tributary of the Hermeton river. The removal addressed a long-standing issue identified by La Truite de Sautour, a local fishing society. They argued that the artificial barrier blocked the movement of fish and disrupted the ecological balance of the waterway.
Frédéric Mouchet, a coordinator at the ASBL Contrat de Rivière Haute Meuse, explained that such obstacles prevent the movement of sediments and affect overall biodiversity beyond just fish populations. Various local entities collaborated to approve the project, including the Ville de Philippeville, the province of Namur, the DNF, and the ASBL Contrat de Rivière. The group agreed to the work because the weir served no modern purpose and lacked heritage value.
The project cost 17,000 euros and received funding from the Open Rivers Programme, an organization that finances the restoration of watercourses. The intervention also involved a compromise regarding local beavers. While the stone weir was removed to allow fish passage, the group agreed to leave beaver dams intact. Frédéric Mouchet noted that unlike stone barriers, beaver dams allow fish to pass through while supporting the local ecosystem. The removal is expected to benefit the aquatic habitat for several kilometers.
