Postmonitoring Fish Ecology — Nature Conservation Strategies for Forest and Wild River in the Gesäuse

As part of the EU-Life project Nature Conservation Strategies for Forest and Wild River in the Gesäuse an der Enns, fish stock surveys were carried out to assess the functionality of river-building measures implemented in the future. This life project (LIFE05NAT/A/78) was carried out from 2005 to 2009 in cooperation between the Nationalpark Gesäuse GmbH and the Styrian State Government, Policy Department 19B and the Forest Technical Service for Wildbach and avalanche construction and includes the Enns (Life-Action A1), as well as packages of measures in their feeders Johnsbach and Palten (A2/C2). The funding was carried out by the above-mentioned bodies and from the EC and LIFE Nature Programmes. In the area of the mouth of the Paltens into the Enns (Paltenspitz), an unsecured connection between Enns and Palten was created, resulting in flow-assured and highly dynamic areas in which the flow directions of Enns and Palten could change depending on the water level. Other projects in the course of the Life project were the reconnection of a landed old arm (Lettmair-Au), as well as the repatriation of existing embankments and suspended restraint structures in the Johnsbach. The report contains the fish ecological conditions in the Enns after implementation of measures. The main fishing took place in the period from 19.10. to 20.10.2009. In addition, in the area of measures Paltenspitz and Lettmeier Au stocking of juvenile fish of the Strömer (Telestes souffia) and habitat fishing was carried out between 2006 and 2008.