What Fish Want Last Chance for Tyrol‘S Inn River
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WHAT FISH WANT LAST CHANCE FOR TYROL‘S INN RIVER A Film by Christoph Walder CONTENTS CREDITS Title What Fish Want Format 4K /digital 03 Credits / Film Duration 59 mins Languages German, English 05 Logline Producer & Director Christoph Walder 05 Synopsis Camera Christoph Walder, Christian Kuen 2. Camera Andreas Walder, Andreas Monsberger 07 About Christoph Walder Graphics Andreas Walder, Gernot Schwendinger 08 Statements Animation Andreas Walder Editor Christoph Walder 10 Facts & Background Information Narrator Peter Marton 12 Contact Information Voice-Overs Steve Chaid, Patrick Lamb, Howard Nightingall Translation Dylan Whiting Music terrasound.de, audiojungle.net, bensound.com, Leo Walder Mixing Markus Niederhauser / Studio L2, Stefan Fielder / WERBETON IMPRINT IN COOPERATION WITH Ecotone - experts for ecology Tyrolean Fisheries Association Brixnerstraße 4 Innsbruck Fisheries Society A 6020 Innsbruck WWF Tyrol, Austria © 2021 3 WHAT FISH WANT SYNOPSIS LAST CHANCE FOR TYROL‘S INN RIVER Riverside construction, dams and climate change have had a dramatic impact on alpine rivers - and caused catastrophic environmental damage. The silent disappearance Tyrol‘s Inn River has lost 95% of its floodplains and 28 of the 31 native fish of fish from the largest species are endangered or extinct. These developments have largely occur- red without public outcry. Under water, life and death are both silent and river in the Alps. invisible. This film takes the viewer below the surface, revealing the mating process of brown trout and swimming alongside male graylings as they compete for the attention of the females. LOGLINE What Fish Want doesn‘t just examine the lives and behaviours of the fish What Fish Want documents the dramatic deterioration in the Inn River, it also explores the reasons for the dramatic disappearance of the once-mighty, incredibly diverse Inn River in Tyrol, of vast numbers of the river‘s inhabitants. The film documents the largely and the silent disappearance of its innumerable fish. unknown but significant effects of hydropower on the underwater world and accompanies conservationists and fishermen as they attempt to make It examines the different causes of these troubling de- the Inn River a diverse and liveable river once again. velopments and accompanies the committed fishermen and conservationists who fight for an intact river habitat and the return of the fish. 5 ABOUT CHRISTOPH WALDER A trained biologist, Christoph Walder has worked for WWF Austria since 1989. He has been responsible for numerous national and international conservation campaigns, including for the protection of rivers and endangered species and the creation of nature reserves around Europe. He has coordinated European conservation projects and task forces, is the WWF representative at the International Alpine Convention and is a member of Tyrol‘s advisory council for nature issues. Christoph Walder is now the head of WWF Austria‘s nature conservation depart- ment, as well as the CEO of the nature conservation company „Ecotone - experts for ecology“ (www.ecotone.at). Since 1995 he has focused extensively on rese- arching and protecting endangered species, particularly bats and amphibians, together with Anton Vorauer. Ecotone has been responsible for national and international research and conservation projects. Ecotone‘s work has included several film projects, including a critical documen- tary about the Ilisu dam in Turkey. The film „Climate Crimes“ by Uli Eichelmann „If fish could scream, the (CEO/RiverWatch) was realised with the technical assistance of Ecotone. In the Inntal and Zillertal valleys last 15 years, the company has released many other nature documentaries, including films about the natural treasures of Costa Rica, moor conservation in would sometimes be the Alps, bat protection in Tyrol, nature conservation projects organised by the horrifying places indeed.“ city of Innsbruck and controversial hydropower projects throughout Austria. Christoph Walder 6 7 STATEMENT CHRISTOPH WALDER ABOUT GRAYLINGS... ABOUT THE FILM... 2021 is the Year of the Grayling in Austria. If one talks to fisher- Filming What Fish Want took almost three years. Some se- ABOUT THE INN... ABOUT THE FISH... men, one soon discovers that this is a very special fish - probably quences, like the successful spawning of the brown trout, were because of its distinctive dorsal fin and a colourful exterior more only captured last season. In general, the decision not to „stage“ I have always wanted to make a film about the Inn, my favourite Fish are the natural protagonists for a film about a river, even common in tropical fish. The reduction in graylings, the keystone any sequences or shoot in studios or aquariums made the work river. I grew up along its banks, swam in its freezing waters and if they have so far played little role in my work. My newfound species of the Inn River, is not only troubling for the local fisher- more complicated and time-consuming than is often the case in enjoyed some of my most compelling nature sightings here. This fascination with graylings, barbels and brown trout is largely due men, but also a warning sign that the river‘s ecosystem is under documentaries. We can therefore say in all honesty that almost is also where I was infected with the conservation bug which to the experienced Inn fisherman Luis Töchterle. threat. all nature footage in the film was actually captured in nature. has lasted a lifetime. For almost 30 years, I have worked to help To us humans, fish are often less visible than birds, butterflies or In addition, there are no publicly available publications which protect the last remaining natural treasures along the Inn River tigers, for example. That is also the reason they vanished silently record where which fish species congregate, where they spawn and support conservation efforts and projects to revitalise the from Tyrol‘s Inn River. Some species have disappeared entirely, or where young fish are to be found. We therefore had to embark watercourse. Some ideas were successful, like securing protec- while the populations of others have decreased greatly. The WHAT MUST BE DONE... on several excursions to create our own maps of the fish univer- ted status for the 100-kilometre stretch of unobstructed river numbers of the last three that remain to any significant extent se and suitable filming locations, supported by local fishermen between Imst and Kirchbichl. Other threats to the Inn have - brown trout, grayling and European bullhead - are sinking We are currently experiencing an unprecedented decimation of and fish biologists. remained or grown, like the ongoing hunger of the hydropower rapidly. I was particularly horrified by the mass deaths of young life in the Inn River. If this trend is not reversed, the grayling may The scouting for the scenes involving fish stranded as a result industry for more and more dams. The river is firmly in the grip of fish as a result of the hydropeaking surges caused by hydropow- eventually abandon the Inn altogether. I don‘t want to imagine of the hydropeaking surges was particularly difficult. This is a climate change, and the warming of the water poses further risks er stations. I experienced these surges personally. If fish could the Inn without graylings. An intact Inn River is important for the phenomenon that had, so far, not been explored in Tyrol, and to the aquatic organisms. scream, the Inntal and Zillertal valleys would sometimes be surrounding Inntal valley - for humans and for fish. It is a defence no-one knew where these tragedies occurred. As a result, the The only solution to this is the re-establishment of natural horrifying places indeed. again the increasing effects of climate change. It is a freshwater scenes shown in the film are, as far as I know, the first to docu- stretches of water. If we are not successful, the river and the few source that ensures we have sufficient drinking water and he- ment these silent deaths in Austria (and, possibly, in the entire natural habitats that still exist will vanish completely. althy groundwater levels that irrigate the fields and meadows alpine region). The decision was made to subsequently rescue in the valley. It provides a habitat for flora and fauna, and its these fish, for ethical and conservationist reasons. floodplains and natural wetlands reduce the impact of flooding. And, of course, it provides recreational opportunities for people. Without the Inn, life in the Inntal valley would be unrecognisa- ble. We have to respect the Inn, protect its last remaining natural oases and create new ones. As soon as possible. 8 9 STATEMENT STATEMENT FISHERIES ASSOCIATION STATEMENT WWF AUSTRIA INNSBRUCK „Our national waters and fish populations need urgent Tyrol‘s Inn River has“ been of great significance to the WWF for thirty years. help. The careless approach to river habitats has led to a FISHERIES SOCIETY It may no longer be as natural as, for example, the Lech River, and it may dramatic collapse of fish populations. not be located in a national park, but it is nonetheless special and worthy Christoph Walder takes the viewers on a journey into the of conservation efforts. In fact, the Inn holds an Austrian record: by now, no mystical underwater world, revealing both the fascina- „As fishermen, we are used to watching natural pro- other river flows for 120 kilometres without encountering a dam or other ting spawning processes of graylings and brown trout, cesses attentively and patiently. However, this film is man-made obstruction. This significant success is the result of decades of but also showing the true extent of the suffering caused testimony to the precision and perseverance required hard work by many committed people. The small natural treasures that by the local dependence on hydropower. This trend will by a nature documentary filmmaker. The footage of the remain along the Inn are some of the last refuges for a variety of rare species, only be reversed if the public is able to look below the hidden world below the water is fascinating but also particularly fish.