argia.eus
INPRIMATU
By removing the prey, the salmon reach Elizondo and in Leitzaran they see more and more
  • LIFE-The European project LIFE-Irekibai has allowed in recent years the removal of prey which hindered the route of salmon in the Bidasoa and Leitzaran rivers, which has allowed ‘salmon to reach above the Bidasoa to Elizondo and to consolidate its presence in Leitzaran’.
Erran .eus @erran_eus 2020ko azaroaren 27a
Guztira hamaika presa kendu dituzte Bidasoan eta Leitzaranen. (Argazkia: Erran)

These and other conclusions have been presented at this morning’s press conference, following the closure of the last project seminar on Wednesday. At the press conference held in Donostia-San Sebastian, the Director General of the Environment of the Government of Navarra, Pablo Muñoz, the Deputy Minister of Environment and Public Works of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, José Ignacio Asensio, and the Director General of the Basque Water Agency, Antonio Aiz participated. Review of actions undertaken since 2016.

Three main axes of the activities

Project actions have been organised around three main axes of action. On the one hand, the restoration of rivers is the part that has absorbed most of the investment; on the other hand, the improvement of knowledge about the management and restoration of river basins; and, finally, the social awareness of the environmental values and services provided by our rivers.

To this end, the LIFE-Irekibai project has had a budget of EUR 3 million. Of this amount, 60% belonged to the LIFE programme and has been developed in the areas of the Natura 2000 network: Río Leitzaran, río Baztan and arroyo Artesiaga, Belate, río Bidasoa, Artikutza and señorío de Bertiz.

In short, 11 dams that prevented the free movement of fish fauna (some of them classified as large dams, such as the case of Inturia de Leitzaran) have been removed, conditioning the steps for the passage of walls until recently insurmountable. In addition, trunks have been installed in rivers to protect the European mink, improve the habitat of Atlantic salmon or reduce the erosion of margins. Within the framework of this project and thanks to the recovery of these rivers, today, in the Bidasoa you can reach Elizondo, after travelling more than 64 kilometers from Txingudi. In Leitzaran, you can do the same in a 61-kilometer stretch.