River Dee Guardian’s Equinor spent a day with the River Dee Trust working to help the migration of a well-known yet little-understood resident of our rivers, the European eel.
The European Eel is a critically endangered species and important component of the freshwater ecosystem, with numbers in Scotland believed to have fallen by up to 90% over the last three decades. They are also a favourite food of some of our most recognisable riverside residents, otters, herons and ospreys - making them incredibly important to the wider biodiversity of the river.
They also undertake one of the most impressive migrations in nature, travelling some 4000 miles from the Sargasso Sea – facing barriers such as waterfalls and dams in the final phase of their journey.
Keilidh Ewan, education officer at the Trust explains: “That is where eel ropes come in. Constructed from sustainable, biodegradable materials including straw and twine, and using traditional twisting techniques, they are then deployed at sites across the river Dee catchment.
"Elvers (juvenile eels) are good climbers, and eel ropes help them overcome barriers in the river blocking their migration to nursery grounds. By climbing through the straw, they are also provided with some protection from predation from birds and animals.”
Claire Fleming, engagement officer at the River Dee Trust comments: “This was Equinor’s first volunteering session with the Trust and follows the announcement in April of their partnership with us – supporting river restoration and biodiversity projects, while also strengthening the Trust’s impactful education programme.
"The enthusiasm of the team was fantastic, not only building the ropes, but also deploying them out on the river catchment. We are monitoring the ropes for any signs of eel migration and members of the Equinor team have already been out on site to help with this.
"We’re looking forward to our next riverside volunteering activity with Equinor over the summer months.”
David King, safety and sustainability manager at Equinor adds: “Our team had a fantastic day at the river supporting the Trust and we are so pleased to be working with the charity as it delivers vital restoration and biodiversity work. The day provided our team with a fascinating insight into the work the charity does and what is involved in protecting the eels.
“We are already looking forward to our next volunteering session, and we are thrilled that we will be continuing to work with the charity as it supports the River Dee and delivers education programmes to schoolchildren across the region.”
To learn more about how your organisation can get involved with the multi-award-winning conservation and river restoration work of the River Dee Trust, contact claire@riverdee.org.