PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
In Italy 6 fish species listed in Annex II of the EU’s Habitats Directive have unfavourable conservation status at both European and national level. These include Po brook lamprey (Lethenteron zanandreai), South European nase (Protochondrostoma genei), Italian nase (Chondrostoma soetta), European bullhead (Cottus gobio), Italian loach (Sabanejewia larvata) and Italian vairone (Telestes muticellus). They are threatened by habitat alteration and longitudinal fragmentation, population decline and a lack of adequate structures for breeding the target species, climate change, and a lack of regional guidelines for management of these fish and their habitats.
OBJECTIVES
LIFE MINNOW will address the above threats to the 6 target fish species, carrying out urgent interventions to stop their decline. The project will focus on an area in the northwest of Po river basin, targeting 21 bodies of water in 20 Natura 2000 sites in the Piedmont region.
The specific objectives are:
- Restoration of 122 km of longitudinal connectivity of 21 water bodies in 20 Natura 2000 sites, by removing 16 barriers and habitat improvement at 13 strategic points (bank restoration along 520 m over a surface of 3,900 m2 in 3 main water bodies and 6 secondary ones); recovery of sediment areas and requalification of 6 springs;
- Restocking (32 populations) and reintroduction (47 new populations) of 5 species along 170 km of water bodies in 9 Natura 2000 sites with 71,000 juveniles: P. genei (15,000-20,000), C. soetta (15,000-20,000), S. larvata (5,000-7,000), T. muticellus (20,000-30,000), C. gobio (5,000-10,000). Breeding of 4 target species at 4 of CMTO’s breeding facilities and 1 of ProvAl’s;
- Alien species control and reduction in 440 km of water bodies in the 20 Natura 2000 sites targeted and 4 contiguous areas for 5 years (S. glanis 6,000 kg, M. anguillicaudatus 200 kg, C. carassius 500 kg, P. clarkii 100 kg, Abramis 200 kg, Pseudoraerbora 100 kg, Barbus b. 200 kg, Aspius 500 kg);
- Creation of an invasive alien species disposal chain through an agreement with a pet food company;
- Activation of cross-sectoral synergies for long-term conservation of the 6 target species (drafting and approval of specific conservation measures for the target species and their habitats; signature of long-term agreements, protocols and regulations for the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems; update of standard Natura 2000 forms; guidelines for river continuity; update of the Po river basin management plan’s measures; update of the water safeguard plan through the establishment of a regional inter-institutional technical working team);
- Involvement of stakeholders and the local community (fishers, volunteers, students, citizens) in long-term management of the 6 target species, through active participation in conservation actions, enlargement of the network of fishers’ associations, and through a citizen science approach (iNaturalist.org), social media campaigns and communication actions; and
- Transfer and replication of the project’s results through a network of stakeholders in areas facing similar threats to similar species.
