ENVIRONMENT

During the research and from previous studies the presence of two important fish species with high biodiversity value was recognized at the irrigations channels network of Drama Region (In Tenagi-Philippon area). The crossing is an irrigation channel north of Kalamonas village and connected to Zigaktis river to the North-East, a river with high ecological value.

The pipeline crosses the known or likely range of the two endemic species:

• Aggitis spined loach, Cobitis puctilineata, classify as Vulnerable (VU) according IUCN criteria.
• Ammokotos or Gavoello (Eudontomyzon (Caspiomyzon) hellenicus), classify as Critically Endangered (CE) according IUCN criteria

The presence of these two particularly important fish species in the area made it imperative to catch and transport the fish species from the river section at irrigation channel crossing where, due to the works for the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the flow continuum was planned to be stopped and a ditch would be excavated for the installation of the pipeline.

In this framework, there was a co-operation between the Fisheries Research Institute of Kavala (INALE) and the joint venture. Due to the fish biology and habits and after common agreement with the fish experts from INALE institute the proposed and best solution was the fish collection with a portable electric appliance. With this method, the fish lurking inside the muddy river bed are not killed, but they become lightly transient to be picked up and transferred to a small portable tank.

For the implementation of the scheduled activities of the fish salvage mini-project, two samplings trips were conducted. A stopping net was placed upstream more than 20m from the sand-bagged upstream dam, to avoid any fish to enter in to the isolation area. The sampling area was more than 180m² surface. Τhe methodology commonly used to capture fish minimizing the possibility to kill them is electrofishing. This method relies on the use of electricity to anesthetize and then capture the fish. The electrofishing is performed with portable devices consisting of a source (battery or generator), an inverter, an anode and a cathode. For the current project, a Hans Grassl ELT60IIHI device was used - 1.3 Kw, 300/500V. After the fish were transferred into a 500L reservoir and kept there until they were transferred to a new pre-selected site upstream.

The specific action (even thought a sole one) is an example of the flora and fauna monitoring and the environmental sensitivity of the company, during construction. Specifically, on TAP Pipeline project several protected species like fishes, birds and large carnivores (brown bear/Ursus arctos and wolf/Canis lupus) have been spotted, saved and removed to safe areas.