Pour que revienne le saumon en Meuse

This video film overviews the first steps of the restoration, in the Belgian Meuse River basin, of the most fabulous salmonid fish : the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). In Belgium, the salmon disappeared around 1935. In 1983, sea trouts were discovered in the Meuse basin, allowing to consider salmon restoration as possible. Fertilized eggs from Scotland were reared in an experimental fishfarm for restocking purposes. Scientific studies were undertaken to assess the adaptation of stocked salmon parrs in the wild (habitat studies by means of electrofishing or diving, behaviour studies, capture of migrating smolts, radio-tracking). Before salmons come back from the sea to spawn in tributaries, fish ways have to be studied and improved. To illustrate the return of adult salmon, a French experiment is described.