uting-project will have leading part in the portance of the species is not the only species
Remove 13 obstacles to additional 130 km new river Give access habitats of drifting fry past fish farms Eliminate mortality Create new spawning grounds Restore approx. 30 km river Create 470 ha new nursery areas netting rights commercial Purchase of Breed fry temporarily to secure the gene pool
• • • • • • • • Given the international im fund financially supports the Houting- the EU-LIFE project with 8 million € of a total budget 13.4 million €. At the end of 2009 Ho restored four Danish rivers. The project will: The houting has a natural Houting-project… But it benefiting significantly from the project. Many other animal and plantwill gain as species the houting’s habitats and survival are ensured – and otter – and species as e.g. salmon, lampreys maybe even the white stork. The Project Many other benefit species will Many the last centuries. re not followed up by 0 spawners. Therefore, tire population of houting even small obstacles in even small obstacles t the species and improve t the species ng has been designated as
Taken as a whole, the en Taken as a in Denmark – and thereby in the world! - has been be about 700 estimated to the houting is totally protected. Furthermore, the houti in the EU Habitat a special priority species Directive – as a consequence Denmark has an imperative duty to protec its survival. As the houting is unable to pass weirs and fish the houting is unable to pass weirs As ladders, the presence of rivers is one of the main impediments to successful reproduction. spawning groundsSilting of is also a severe problem. Furthermore,the houting fry require areas of reed beds or flooded meadows where they forage for several months prior to migrating the considerably. have also diminish sea – such areas Previous restocking attempts in Denmark have not been successful as they we habitat restoration. Today we know what is necessary for the houting to survive and once again become common throughout the Wadden Sea area. To enable that goal the Houting-projectwas initiated in 2005. Threatened species Today, it has declined occurrence and its severely is now restricted to Denmark, where it repro- systems. river duces in six The dramatic decline was a advance of result of the industrialisation, dike building and canalisation over Threats
er the last 150 years. It only lives in the
Once the houting was widespread throughout the entire Wadden Sea region - from the Netherlands in the south to Skallingen (DK) in was a commer- the north. It species cially important fish spawning in most rivers. ke salmons the houting south-western Denmark. species from complete from complete species
Biology and distribution Biology and The houting is with a very characte- a salmonid ristic pointed ’snout’. Li lives and matures in the sea - but autumn it larger watercourses to spawn. ascends the It is the second largest nature in restoration project the second It is Denmark – only exceeded by the restoration of River Skjern. Danish sector of the Wadden Sea area, having disappeared from Germany and the Netherlands. fish this Now, to save extinction the Danish Forest and Nature Agency has initiated the Houting Project. The project will ensure the houting’s survival by restoring four rivers in In Denmark more than 350 species of plants and animals have disappeared ov The Houting In addition there are a large number of species, which are rare or endangered. The fish called the houting definitely belongs amongst the rare species. The project in River Varde Å: Learn more about the Houting-project on • Re-meandering and enlarging the original river Varde Å
• Restoring 30 meanders (17 km -> 21 km) • Demolishing Ansager Dam • Closure of Ansager Canal
• All water back into River Varde Å • Free passage past Sig Fish Farm
• 30.000 m3 new spawning gravel
LIFE Nature works to conserve The project in River Sneum Å: natural habitats and the wild fauna and flora of European Union interest, • Re-meandering of 3.5 km river according to • Creating new wetland the Birds and Habitats directives, thus • Closing of three fish farms supporting implementation of the European Union's nature conservation
policy and the Natura 2000 Network.
Read more about LIFE on: www.ec.europa.eu/ life
Read more about Natura 2000 on: The project in River Ribe Å: ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/home.htm
• Demolishing of a stamp mill • New flooding frequency to benefit fry • Free passage past two fish farms Danish Forest and Nature Agency • New riffles / spawning gravel State Forest Districts of Lindet & Oxbøl • Purchase of commercial netting rights Tel.: +45 7482 6105 E-mail: [email protected]
The Forest and Nature Agency manages 190.000 ha of State-owned forest and other nature areas in Denmark. The project in River Vidå: The Agency works to promote sustainability • Free passage past Bachmanns Mill in the administration of Denmark's natural and historical heritage in a balance between • 80 ha new wetlands use and protection. • Free passage past a fish farm Visit us at: www.skovognatur.dk/English Ministry of the Environment • Free passage past and closure of a smaller hydro-power plant Layout: Hans Ole Hansen, Danish Forest and Nature Agency - 2006. Danish Forest and Nature Agency Front-page photo: Ribe County. Other photos: Hans Ole Hansen.