On the 26th April 2017 Dr. Ian Dodkins, from Swansea University, presented on behalf of AMBER at the Institute of Fisheries Management Specialist conference, giving an update on the progress of the Atlas data collection exercise and validation planning, as well as the progress on the excellent eDNA work done by Oviedo and the AMBER app. This two day conference was held in Newport, Wales, UK. It was sponsored by Tidal Lagoon Power, the company behind the novel proposal for using the gravitational power of the sun and the moon in a large tidal lagoon in Swansea. Of course this was an excellent engagement opportunity for AMBER, who are developing guidance on planning, removal and mitigation of barriers to the movement of fish and other aquatic organisms.

  http://www.tidallagoonpower.com/

Both days had good representation from academia, government and industry. Whilst the first day focussed on tidal power, the second day focussed on hydropower in freshwaters. Sessions on new technology, such as the Venturi-Enhanced Turbine, and OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) power, and fish friendly pumps and turbines were presented.

http://www.verdergrenewableenergy.com/basic-VETT-principles/basic-principles
http://www.power-technology.com/projects/makais-ocean-thermal-energy-conversion-otec-power-plant-hawaii/
http://www.aquaticcontrol.co.uk/products

Swansea University AMBER representative also had the opportunity to chat with Prof. Ian Cowx from Hull University who presented at the meeting and is a partner on the FIThydro project. FIThydro (Fishfriendly Innovative Technologies for Hydropower) is another Horizon2020 running at the same time as AMBER and looking specifically at engineering solutions to mitigation of hydropower barriers in Europe.

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WWF Switzerland

Ruedi Bösiger from WWF Switzerland had the opportunity to present the goals, Partners, work packages and expected results of the AMBER project at a meeting organized by the FOEN on 28 february 2017. 20 participants forming the sounding board of an ongoing research for “Downstream fish passages on big hydropower stations in Switzerland” were present. Swiss National and cantonal authorities, representants of the three big hydropower station owners and the science community.

Mr. Bösiger also presented the AMBER project on the Swiss Eco-Naturecongress in The “Free flowing river workshop. The audience of about 25 participants was very mixed, authorities, NGO and interested citizens.

Thirdly Mr. Bösiger has been involved in the prep of a policy meeting on EU level, where was prepared an input paper, the agenda and the contacts for such a meeting in cooperation with WWF EU colleague in Brussels, Tina Mlinaric.

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The AMBER project was presented at the Sustainable Hydropower Development Forum that took place in April 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic, by Rosa Olivo del Amo from the World Fish Migration Foundation. The event gathered hydropower Industry stakeholders (managers, engineers, researchers, environmentalists...) to discuss the current status and prospects for sustainable hydropower development.  One of the main topics was developing sustainable production strategy in the Hidropower sector. The AMBER project was presented to a large audience and received some extremely positive feedback from the participants. For more information please download the agenda. If you are interested in any of the presentations, please write rosa@fishmigration.org.

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The European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (ERCE) organizes on the 26 – 28 September 2017, in Lodz, POLAND, an International Symposium on: "ECOHYDROLOGY for the Circular Economy and Nature-Based Solutions towards mitigation / adaptation to Climate Change".

The Symposium includes 4 parallel sessions, among them the AMBER SESSION: The role of dams in river ecosystems (pros & cons) – chaired by Carlos Garcia De Leaniz and related to this session accompanying SPECIAL EVENT - 4th symposium of Healthy Rivers and Sustainable Water Resource Management: Reservoir carbon cycling and GHG fluxes: from the perspective of Ecohydrology for Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change.

Read more details about the Symposium here: http://www.isehcnc.com

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AMBER will be presented at the International Restitution Symposium of the LIFE program "Ecological Continuity" held in Beaune, France, from May 31st to June 2nd 2017.

The restoration of ecological continuity on watercourses is now a major issue in the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) and its declensions in french laws. However, these new regulations are difficult to implement. Moreover, the evolution of technologies and the development of renewable energies stand up for reflection on small hydroelectricity. To this day, the restoration of ecological continuity is at the heart of the debate and raises a lot of concerns from the riverside owners, elected officials and other users of our rivers.
In order to respond to this issue, the regional natural Parks of the Morvan and the Ballons des Vosges have joined together to the Life program "Ecological continuity, watershed management, and associated heritage fauna". With their partners, they now wish to share their experiences through an international symposium

Read more details about the Symposium here: http://www.life-continuite-ecologique.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110:registration-at-the-international-restitution-symposium-of-the-life-program-ecological-continuity&catid=29&Itemid=118

Sandra Chevret from the World Fish Migration Foundation will be joining the workshop of the first day to present the AMBER project and activities.

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