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Description
The project is focused on education on the topic of salmon and other salmonid fish populations in the CR. Currently, the topic of salmonid fish is much discussed in relation to climate change, fish predators, aquaculture, sport fishing or stream fragmentation. The main topic for the general public is the history and present of salmon and other salmonid fish stocks in the CR. The aim is to shed light on the public''s negative effects on rivers and salmonid fish. The youth will be addressed by educational films and educational publications. The teaching material will contain basic information about the importance of river ecosystems and information about fish communities, their importance and the life of salmonid fish. Project activities aimed at the professional public in the form of online presentations and workshops will focus on current conflict issues related to rivers and salmonid fish (eg poisoning, returning adult salmon, construction of new dams and weirs, aquaculture, stream quality, predation in trout waters, etc.). The aim is to evaluate conflicting issues with experts and provide the public with objective professional information. The professional public will be provided with information from the implemented managements in the form of professional seminars in order to support river ecosystems and salmonid fish stocks themselves. There is a great interest among the angling organizations, as well as other entities, especially in the innovated method of incubating eggs in the mother stream. The implementation of educational activities will also be focused on experiential pedagogy, where individual educational and educational activities will be implemented directly in the field.
Summary of project results
Our project aimed to raise awareness about salmon and other salmonid fish populations in Czechia. The topic of salmonids is highly debated today due to climate change, fish predators, aquaculture, sport fishing, and stream fragmentation. We focused on educating the public about the history and current status of these fish and the negative impacts on rivers and salmonids.
We created educational films and publications for both youth and the general public, highlighting the importance of river ecosystems and the lives of salmonid fish. For professionals, we addressed issues like water pollution, adult salmon hunting, dam construction, small hydroelectric power stations, aquaculture, stream quality, and trout water predation, providing objective, professional information.
Our innovative method of incubating eggs in native streams drew significant interest from the Czech Fishermen''s Association and other stakeholders. We emphasized experiential learning, conducting many activities directly in the field. Our partners, including the Czech Fishermen''s Association, World Fish Migration Foundation, and Sciencemonastery AS, assisted in creating and distributing educational materials.
As part of our project, we conducted various activities to inform the public about the state of salmon and other salmonid fish in Czechia and the negative effects on river ecosystems.
We reached out through media outputs, including a series of three short documentary films titled "In the Stream," created with documentarian Prokop Pithart, focusing on salmon, brown trout, and other salmonid fish. We also published a popular scientific book and three articles in the magazines Naše příroda, Veronica, and Rybářství.
Nearly 3,000 participants engaged in our educational activities, with thousands more following our campaigns on social media. These efforts, along with our educational materials, provided the public with expert and objective information on salmon and salmonid fish in Czechia. By addressing the highly debated topic of salmonids in relation to climate change, fish predators, aquaculture, sport fishing, and stream fragmentation, our project contributed to public understanding—an essential step in environmental care and protection. In total we’ve reached more than 10,000 people by our efforts.
Our project was significant primarily because of its ambitious goals. We aimed to inform the public about the state of salmonid fish populations in Czechia and highlight the negative effects on river ecosystems. By providing expert and objective information on these critical issues, we sought to educate the public about current management practices that support river ecosystems and salmonid populations.
A key aspect of our project was creating awareness and educational materials on these topics. Our efforts led to increased interest in environmental protection, and many of our project outputs will have lasting benefits even after the project''s conclusion.
Additionally, this project marked the beginning of our collaboration with local educational organizations, a partnership we plan to maintain and expand in the future.
Summary of bilateral results
The results of the bilateral collaboration are based on expert advice provided by Sciencemonastery''s Norwegian partner, Dr. Peggy Zinke. The Norwegian partner has thus contributed his expertise to the creation of a popular educational publication - the Salmon Quiz, which introduces the public to salmon and salmonids in an entertaining way. The Czech Fishermen''s Association contributed to reaching other target groups and, among other things, provided the conditions for the implementation of campaigns in local organisations of the Czech Fishermen''s Association. Partner World Fish Migration Foundation contributed mainly to publicity and PR outputs, promoting project activities on its web channels. Other partners also contributed to the promotion of the project results. The results of bilateral cooperation can be described as one of the tools for reducing economic and social disparities between EEA countries based on mutual understanding and sharing of experiences. The results of the cooperation were summarised in the final online workshop, which took place on 27.06.2023 via the online platform ZOOM. The presentation of the results is attached in the ZMZ documents.