Danube gudgeon returns to Inn River after a century
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) rediscovered the Danube gudgeon, a fish species considered extinct in the Inn River (a river in Germany and Austria) for over 100 years.
The fish was first found again a few years ago downstream of the Ering-Frauenstein dam, and now researchers have documented it in another section of the river near Simbach.
This finding came during a research project with VERBUND, a hydropower operator, that examined how fishways affect fish populations and river health. The Danube gudgeon (Romanogobio uranoscopus) is a highly endangered species that indicates good water quality and healthy river habitats. Researchers believe the fish may be expanding its range within the Inn due to successful river restoration efforts.
The team surveyed fish populations in 12 fishways, structures that allow fish to bypass dams, and identified around 38,000 individuals of 36 species, including other protected fish like bullhead and huchen. These fishways aren't just migration routes; their nature-like designs, with varying water depths and gravel bottoms, create valuable habitats for fish at all stages of life. VERBUND’s project manager, Johannes Wesemann, stated that the discovery proves their renaturation approach revitalizes the entire river ecosystem.
Years of collaboration between researchers, the hydropower operator, and local authorities contributed to the success of these restoration efforts.
