At the ‘Barrier Passability Expert Workshop’, organized by CIM-UVigo. The days will conclude with a visit to Ecimat and a meeting with Oregon State University
The Marine Research Center (CIM) of the University of Vigo is organizing an international meeting between today, Tuesday and tomorrow, Wednesday, in the Redeiras building, in which 18 experts in migratory fish from institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Austria, the Netherlands, Hungary, Portugal and Spain are participating. The Barrier Passability Expert Workshop, coordinated by researcher Carlos García de Leaniz, aims to advance the development of new methodologies based on artificial intelligence that allow for a more efficient assessment of the permeability of river barriers and prioritize those whose elimination or modification could have a greater positive impact on aquatic ecosystems.
A response to a European challenge
Carlos García de Leaniz, one of the world’s leading experts on salmonids, who arrived at UVigo in 2024 within the framework of the Atrae Program of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, explains that “the European Nature Restoration Act requires member states to reconnect 25,000 kilometers of free-flowing rivers before 2030, but an effective restoration of river connectivity depends on the ability to prioritize which barriers should be eliminated or modified. To do this, he adds, “it is essential to estimate the permeability of barriers for fish”, but according to the professor, “these estimates are notoriously complex, since they vary according to the characteristics of the barrier, environmental conditions and differences between species and individuals”.
During the meeting, the participants will construct fuzzy cognitive maps through expert assessment, aiming to identify the main factors that determine whether a barrier is permeable or not for different species. In addition, they will discuss the potential of artificial intelligence models to estimate passability from photographic records, using computer vision and fuzzy logic techniques.
International collaboration
The workshop will feature the participation of researchers from institutions such as Oregon State University (USA), University of Southampton and University of Kent (UK), Boku (Austria), Deltares (Netherlands), BLRI (Hungary), University of Lisbon (Portugal), as well as the University of Vigo, the Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC), the Doñana Biological Station (EBD) and the University of Valladolid. The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities – State Research Agency, the FreeFlowLab group, the European project Danube LifeLines and the company Naturgy.
Collaboration with Oregon State University
To close the conference, on October 16, representatives from Oregon State University will visit the Toralla Marine Science Station (Ecimat) of the CIM, within the framework of the collaboration agreement that exists between the institution and UVigo, to learn about the capabilities of this cutting-edge research infrastructure. In addition, an online meeting will be organized between research staff from the University of Vigo and Oregon State University with the aim of exploring joint lines of work and possible future synergies. In this way, the aim is to strengthen cooperation in research, the exchange of staff and students and the development of academic programs linked to aquatic biodiversity.
The CIM holds the CIGUS certification from the Regional Government of Galicia, which attests to the quality and impact of its research, and its activities are co-financed by the European Union through the 2021–2027 FEDER Program.
Source: DUVI
