Hi everyone,

Some really encouraging work is coming out of Norway at the moment, with some impressive results to show for it.

Our partner Sweco in Norway have been using FlexiBaffles to restore fish passage in a small urban stream called Fjøsangerbekken, in Bergen. Prior to installation, the stream had been heavily modified through culverting and channelisation, and previous surveys had recorded zero sea trout. It was rated as having very poor ecological status.
FlexiBaffles were installed inside the culvert, creating a series of step pools that allow fish to move upstream.
A year after installation, an electrofishing survey was carried out on a 40 square metre stretch of stream upstream of the culvert. The team caught 123 sea trout, ranging from young-of-year juveniles up to 130mm, indicating the stream is now being used for both spawning and rearing.

Using a conservative estimate, the survey team calculated a density of 127 fish per 100m2, which under Norwegian guidelines would classify the stream as very good ecological status.

It is a striking result for a stream that had essentially no fish the year before.