Haringvliet, the Netherlands

ReefSystems has installed 3 x 10 MOSES modules in Haringvliet (see video below). The pilot installations have been executed in collaboration with Sportvisserij Nederland, Bureau Waardenburg and the Marine Animal Ecology group from Wageningen University & Research (WUR). The structures are placed in three locations with different environmental factors: 10 in salt-, 10 in sweet- and 10 in brackish water. Biodiversity has declined at Haringvliet, since the installation of the Haringvliet sluizen. Creating habitats in these areas is very important to restore the local ecosystems. Check out the first research results below!

eDNA research results

Researchers from Wageningen University & Research are periodically monitoring the installations with eDNA. With this modern molecular technique, watersamples are analyzed to identify the biological material that different fish species have left behind in the water the past 24 hours. The samples are compared with samples taken from several distances of the reefs to compare the results. The latest eDNA samples have proved the presence of 17 different fish species around the artificial MOSES-reef. These positive results convinced Rijkswaterstaat and Port of Amsterdam to start a collaboration with us. This has resulted in our North Sea Channel project, where we are currently testing MOSES installations in three different ecological zones.

Monitoring (17-10-2020)

Species found (Dutch names) at Brouwersdam installation (Visual conformation by Reindert Nijland, assistant professor Wageningen University & Research, on 17-10-2020):

  • Japanse oesters
  • Zeepokken
  • Zeesterren
  • Kolonievormende zakpijpen (Botryllus violaceus)
  • Mosdiertjes (meerdere soorten)
  • Noordzeekrab
  • Fluwelen zwemkrabben
  • Strandkrabben
  • Penseelkrabben
  • Steurgarnalen
  • Diverse roodwieren, groenwieren en bruinwieren, zoals Zeesla en Japans Bessenwier.

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