Starting signal for DANUBElifelines at BOKU: Working together for free rivers and migratory fish

With the ambitious goal of restoring river corridors in the Danube catchment area and protecting endangered migratory fish species such as sturgeon and huchen, the EU-funded DANUBElifelines (DLL) project has officially started in Vienna. The project is coordinated by BOKU University, where the kick-off event also took place.

"Rivers and fish know no borders - and neither should our conservation measures. DLL shows how sustainable changes for nature and society are possible through cross-border cooperation," emphasizes Florian Borgwardt from the Institute of Hydrobiology and Water Management at BOKU.

Over the next four years, 24 partners from 11 countries will work together on nature-based solutions for the reconnection of river habitats. At eight demonstration sites, including the Inn and Pielach rivers in Austria, concrete renaturation measures will be tested, accompanied by scientific research and close involvement of local stakeholders - an approach that was co-developed at BOKU.

The central goal is a jointly developed action plan that bundles measures for the protection of migratory fish species in the entire Danube region and should be transferable to other European river catchment areas.

Photos:
https://bokubox.boku.ac.at/#c5d2a7696bc152bfb1364f6037d93866

Project Coordinator
Ass.Prof. DI Dr. Florian BorgwardtBOKU University   
Tel.: +431 4765481234
Email: florian.borgwardt(at)boku.ac.at

About the DANUBElifelines project

Project title: DANUBElifelines - Safeguarding Migratory Fish and Their Habitats in the Danube River Basin and Beyond (Grant Agreement No: 101213836)
Call: HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-02 - Danube River Basin Lighthouse- Protection and restoration of migratory fish habitats
Duration: 2025-2029
Coordinator: BOKU University, Institute of Hydrobiology and Water Management

Project Partners (24):
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (AT), Stichting Deltares (NL), Balaton Limnological Research Institute (HU), Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. / Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (DE), Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade (RS), Swansea University (UK), Universitatea Dunărea de Jos din Galați (RO), Universität Duisburg-Essen (DE), Technische Universität München (DE), Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES), Wetlands International - European Association (NL), World Fish Migration Foundation (NL), WWF Romania (RO), WWF Bulgaria (BG), WWF Slovensko (SK), Slovenský rybársky zväz (SK), Umweltbundesamt (AT), schnee auf moss Werbeagentur GmbH (AT), Institut für Intelligente Systeme und Maschinen – Eutema (AT), Institut za ihtiološke in ekološke raziskave, Zavod REVIVO (SI), Őrségi Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság (HU), Hochschule Geisenheim University (DE), Wageningen University (NL), Institutul Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare Delta Dunării (RO)

Associated partners (17)
International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (AT), Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Regionen und Wasserwirtschaft (AT), Via donau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH (AT), Österreichische Bundesforste AG (AT), Betriebsgesellschaft Marchfeldkanal (AT), Duna-Ipoly Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság (HU), Ipeľská únia (SK), Zavod Republike Slovenije za varstvo narave (SI), Ribiška zveza Slovenije (SI), WWF Magyarország Alapítvány (HU), Bezirk Oberbayern – Fischereifachberatung (DE), Výskumný ústav vodného hospodárstva (SK),Bezirk Niederbayern – Fischereifachberatung (DE), Nyugat-dunántúli Vízügyi Igazgatóság (HU), Sporthorgász Egyesületek Vas Megyei Szövetsége (HU), Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (DE),National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (RO)

03.06.2025