Sustainable Water and Integrated Management of Fish Migration and their Habitats in the Danube River Basin and NW Black Sea

Programme: HORIZON EUROPE

Total budget: 8.277.717,50 EUR

CEKOM's budget: 290.437,50 EUR

Co-financing rate: 100%

Objective: To demonstrate concrete NBS for restoration, protection, and improvement of migratory fish habitats in the Danube River and Black Sea basin

Lead partner: Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Fakultet strojarstva i brodogradnje (UNIZG)

Project partners: Katholische Universitat Eichstatt-Ingolstadt (KUEI), Institul National De Cercetare-Dezvoltare Delta Dunarii (DDNI), Hrvatske vode Pravna osoba Za upravljanje vodama (HRvode), Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority (DDBRA), Internationale Arbeitsgemeinschaft Donauforschung (IAD), Institute Of Hydrobiology Nas of Ukraine (IHB), Technická Univerzita V Košiciach (TUKE), Szechenyi Istvan Egyetem (SZE), Centar kompetencija doo za istraživanje i razvoj (CEKOM), Univerzitet U Novom Sadu, Poljoprivredni Fakultet Novi Sad (UNSFA), Metcenas: Method. Center For Environment Assessment, O.P.S (MET), Ceska Zemedelska Univerzita V Praze (CZU), Geostud Srl (GEOS), Intl Centre For Energy Water and Environment Systems – Mk (SDEWES), Water Research Institute Of Tg Masaryk (TGM-WRI), Adria Innovation Harbour (AIH), Javna Ustanova – Virovitičko-Podravske županije (JU-VPZ), Javno Preduzeće Nacionalni Parkovi Crne Gore (JP-CG), Ministarstvo prometa, veza i zaštite okoliša (MPVIZO), Rpk Sombor – Regionalna Priv. komora Z. Upravnog Okruga (CCIS), Fzi Forschungszentrum Informatik (FZI), Športsko ribolovna udruga Odra Velika Gorica (ŠRU-ODRA), Institutul National De Hidrologie Si Gospodarire A Apelor (INHGA), Complex Delta Srl (COMPLEX), Hidroing D.O.O. (HIDROING), Inova+ Innovation Services S.A. (INOVA)

Associated partners Intl Commission For The Protection Of The Danube River (ICDPR), Asociatia Wwf (World Wildlife Fund) Romania (WWF), Associatia Natura 5 (NAT5), Ministerul Mediului, Apelor Si Padurilor (MMEDIU), Helyben A Helyért Vidékfeijleszto Egyesület (HAHVE), Commission On Protection Of The Black Sea Against Pollution (BSC), National Agency For Fisheries And Aquaculture (ANPA), Fed. Ministry Of Agricult., Forestry, Regions & Water Mngmnt (BML), International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC), Meteoblue Ag (MBAG), Ministry Foreign Affairs & Trade – Eusdr Pa 4, Water Quality (MFAT), Museum Für Naturkunde – Universitat Zu Berlin (MFN), Zagrebačka županija (ZAGZUP), Grad Virovitica (VIROVITICA), Javno Vodoprivredno Preduzeće ,,Vode Vojvodine“ Novi Sad (PWMCVV)

SWIM SWIM project aligns with the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters,” aiming to restore, protect, and enhance habitats of migratory fish species in the Danube River Basin and the Northwestern Black Sea region. By developing and implementing innovative, sustainable, and scalable solutions through 13 activities foreseen at 7 pilot sites, SWIM seeks to improve habitat connectivity, quality and conservation, and overall, the aquatic ecosystems health . The project will set new benchmarks in habitat restoration and actively contribute to the implementation of EU environmental policies through a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach. Building upon extensive past work in relevant projects such as MEASURES, WE PASS 1 and 2, SIMONA and the Danube Lighthouse projects DALIA, DaWetRest and Restore4Life, the SWIM consortium goes a step further in implementing actual complementary technologies (ex-situ restocking actions, hatchery recovery, fish passages, lateral reconnections, digital platform in articulation with MEASURES Info System and DTO, distributed Info centres, etc) in a wide range of freshwater streams (Danube and Tributaries). A key element of SWIM’s strategy is fostering transnational cooperation among diverse stakeholders and across different societal levels, co-designing joint solutions with governmental bodies, NGOs, researchers, and local communities, working through SWIM Alliance. This broad involvement aims to raise public support and ensure the long-term sustainability of the habitat restoration and protection measures , fostering biodiversity conservation, enhancing ecological resilience and the provision of ecosystem services, and thus promoting the socio-economic well-being of the local communities . SWIM’s comprehensive approach to ecological restoration and management has the potential to serve as a model for similar efforts across Europe and beyond, making a significant impact on the health and sustainability of aquatic ecosystems.