Sprinting behavior of free-ranging fish has long been thought to exceed that of captive fish. Here we present data from wild-caught brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta), volitionally entering and sprinting against high-velocity flows in an open-channel flume. Performance of the two species was nearly identical, with the species attaining absolute speeds > 25 body lengths·s−1. These speeds far exceed previously published observations for any salmonid species and contribute to the mounting evidence that commonly accepted estimates of swimming performance are low. Brook trout demonstrated two distinct modes in the relationship between swim speed and fatigue time, similar to the shift from prolonged to sprint mode described by other authors, but in this case occurring at speeds > 19 body lengths·s−1. This is the first demonstration of multiple modes of sprint swimming at such high swim speeds. Neither species optimized for distance maximization, however, indicating that physiological limits alone are poor predictors of swimming performance. By combining distributions of volitional swim speeds with endurance, we were able to account for >80% of the variation in distance traversed by both species.

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-Passage performance of brown trout (Salmo trutta), Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), and northern straight-mouth nase (Pseudochondrostoma duriense) was investigated in a vertical slot fishway in the Porma River (Duero River basin, Spain) using PIT telemetry. We analysed the effects of different fishway discharges on motivation and passage success. Both cyprinid species ascended the fishway easily, performing better than the trout despite their theoretically weaker swimming performance. Fishway discharge affected fish motivation although it did not clearly influence passage success. Observed results can guide design and operation criteria of vertical slot fishways for native Iberian fish. Key-words:Iberian fish / vertical slot fishway / fish passage / motivation / transit time Résumé -Aptitude au passage de la truite, Salmo trutta, et de deux cyprinidés ibériques, le barbeau ibérique, Luciobarbus bocagei, et le nase à bouche droite, Pseudochondrostoma duriense dans une passe à poissons à fentes verticales. La performance de passage de la truite (Salmo trutta), du barbeau ibérique (Luciobarbus bocagei), et du nase à bouche droite (Pseudochondrostoma duriense) a été étudiée dans une passe à fentes verticales dans la rivière Porma (bassin de la rivière Douro, Espagne) en utilisant la technologie PIT. Nous avons analysé les effets de différents débits dans la passe à poissons sur la motivation et la réussite de passage. Les deux espèces de cyprinidés montaient la passe facilement, étaient plus performantes que les truites, malgré leur performance de nage théoriquement plus faible. Le débit dans la passe affectait la motivation des poissons bien qu'il n'ait pas influencé clairement le succès de passage. Les résultats observés peuvent guider dans les critères de conception de passes à fentes verticales pour les poissons indigènes.

The conservation of migratory fish species worldwide has been threatened by the loss of longitudinal connectivity caused by dams intercepting large rivers. One environmental management strategy for reestablishing connectivity is providing passage through fish ladders. However, ladders in Neotropical rivers have been described as ascending one‐way routes. We analysed the movements of Prochilodus lineatus through a fish ladder at a large dam—Porto Primavera—in the heavily impounded Upper Paraná River, Brazil, to determine whether the ladder connected habitats downstream and upstream of the dam, in both directions. A total of 1,419 specimens of P. lineatus were PIT‐tagged above and below the dam, and continuously monitored for 4 years. We documented bidirectional movements of P. lineatus through the fish ladder. Many individuals repeated these movements annually; one individual as many as six times. It was estimated that the cumulative probability that P. lineatus would return from downstream after descending through the ladder was 0.38, 0.50, and 0.56 in 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. Correspondingly, return probabilities from upstream were 0.15, 0.22, and 0.26 in 1–3 years, respectively. Although return probabilities from upstream were roughly half, our results suggest the Porto Primavera fish ladder contributes to habitat connectivity, bidirectional passage, and preservation of P. lineatus. These results deviate from the perception that fishways are ineffective in Neotropical rivers. We suggest that fishways can restore the bidirectional connectivity denied to some Neotropical species, and until the services of dams are no longer needed, environmental management through fish ladders could continue to be considered as an integral part of broader conservation strategy designed to preserve native fauna.

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-Stepped fishways are the most popular solutions to enable the free movement of fish fauna through weirs and dams. Given the flow variation of rivers throughout the year, successful fish migration through stepped fishways relies on the accurate discharge calculation and their modeling under variable scenarios. This study aims to propose a general method for flow and water level calculation of stepped fishways, unifying different findings in specialized literature. To achieve this purpose, the relation defined by Villemonte is used and tested under laboratory and field case studies. This study shows that the hydraulic behavior of a wide range of stepped fishway typologies can be explained based on a single equation, as well as the need of calibration of the coefficients involved in this equation for different subtypes. Furthermore, the proposed method enables the water level modeling under variable boundary conditions, which in turns allows the analysis of stepped fishways hydraulic performance under different river scenarios. The comparison of the hydraulic parameters in the fishways with the physical capacities and preferences of fish will contribute to the fulfillment of their main objective: allow free movement of fish fauna.Keywords: discharge coefficient / flow measurement / vertical slot fishway / pool and weir fishway / nature-like fishway Résumé -L'approche de Villemonte : une méthode générale de modélisation de la performance uniforme et non uniforme dans les échelles à poissons. Les échelles à poissons sont les solutions les plus populaires pour permettre la libre circulation de la faune piscicole à travers les seuils et les barrages. Compte tenu de la variation de débit des cours d'eau tout au long de l'année, la migration réussie des poissons par ces passes à poissons repose sur le calcul exact de la décharge et sa modélisation dans des scénarios variables. Cette étude a pour but de proposer une méthode générale de calcul du débit et du niveau d'eau des échelles à poissons, synthétisant différents résultats de la littérature spécialisée. Pour atteindre cet objectif, la relation définie par Villemonte est utilisée et testée dans des études de cas en laboratoire et sur le terrain. Cette étude montre que le comportement hydraulique d'une large gamme de typologies de poissons en gradins peut être expliqué sur la base d'une seule équation, avec besoin d'étalonnage des coefficients impliqués dans cette équation pour différents sous-types. De plus, la méthode proposée permet de modéliser le niveau de l'eau dans des conditions aux limites variables, ce qui permet, à son tour, d'analyser la performance hydraulique des passes de poissons en escaliers selon différents scénarios de rivières. La comparaison des paramètres hydrauliques dans les passes à poissons avec les capacités physiques et les préférences des poissons contribuera à la réalisation de leur objectif principal : permettre la libre circulation de la faune aquatique.Mots-clés : coefficient de décharge / mesure de débit / passe à fentes vert...

Many fish passes have been built across the world in recent years. This study analyses the performance of a modified type of pool and weir fishway with two access branches, using passive integrated transponder telemetry. A circum-Mediterranean barbel, Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864), was chosen as the target species. Both hydraulic values (flow and volumetric energy dissipation) and biological parameters (attraction, entrance and passage success) were measured in the fishway, these being related to the environmental variables affecting upstream fish movement. Flow discharge, water temperature and atmospheric pressure were important for fish entering the fishway. There was no preference between path routes, even though the main discharge was concentrated in the turbine channel. This type of fishway design could be an alternative for the conservation of fish populations where multiple fish approach options are possible. K E Y W O R D Sbarbel, competing risk, fish ladder, passive integrated transponder telemetry, time-to-event, transit time