Towards a European Ethohydraulics & Fish Passage Network
Unite! seed-funded initiative launches European forum to advance fish protection and sustainable water systems.
European rivers are highly fragmented – by barriers, hydropower, water withdrawals and other alterations to their natural flow. These disruptions pose serious threats to biodiversity and hinder fish migration. In response, a growing European research community on ethohydraulics and fish passage is working to improve ecological connectivity and align water management with sustainability goals.
"Fishes and other aquatic organisms depend on the ability to move freely along rivers – and they don’t stop at national borders. Yet their movement is hindered by the cumulative impact of human-made structures across countries. The European Water Framework Directive calls for healthy and connected water bodies – a goal we can only achieve together"
To support this momentum, a new Unite! seed-funded project is launching the European Ethohydraulics & Fish Passage Network. The initiative brings together researchers, industry experts, regulatory authorities and operators to:
- Improve fish passage through man-made structures
- Halt the decline of freshwater biodiversity
- Achieve good ecological status in European water bodies, as outlined by the European Water Framework Directive.
“Despite progress, downstream migration through hydraulic structures remains a major challenge. Differences in national implementation of EU regulations have resulted in a patchwork of local policies. Common European standards – especially for methodologies and animal-free assessment techniques – are urgently needed”
To address this, the project kicked off with the EuroPassage Mini-Symposium on Ethohydraulics and Fish Passage, taking place on 1 October 2025 at ENSE³, Grenoble INP, France. The event featured eight invited talks from leading voices in science, industry, and regulation across Europe. Topics included fish behaviour and downstream passage at hydraulic structures and turbomachinery. The symposium aimed to lay the groundwork for a European forum on fish protection, tailored to regional needs.
Jointly organised by Grenoble INP and TU Darmstadt, and supported by the Unite! Seed Fund and ENSE³ – Graduate School of Sustainable Engineering for Energy, Water and Environment, the event was open to students, staff, teachers and researchers.
Further plans include a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network proposal, a Metacampus course, an educational video, open scientific presentations, lab-sharing initiatives and a Doctoral School Offering – each reinforcing the role of the Unite! Alliance in advancing sustainable cities and water systems.