Fishermen and naturalists put the planned waterway on the Neris River on the dog days
Social networks are being blown up by the debate on the planned waterway on the Neris River between Kaunas and Vilnius.
The Inland Waterways Authority has made no secret of its ambitions to build such a waterway. It estimates that such a project could cost €20 million and that the waterway itself would improve conditions for fish living in the Neris.
„It would cause irreparable damage to the Neris River and its ecosystem“, – outrages Linas Jonauskas, a member of the Seimas, a naturalist.
„What's more, public fantasies about waterways include not only the entire Neris River, which is a Natura 2000 site and part of the Neris Loops Regional Park, but also the Žeimena River, with the mention of a possible waterway up to Pabradė. Such considerations are not only contrary to reality, but also to common sense," says L. Jonauskas.
Essa's opinion is supported by ichthyologists.
„What ichthyologists?? Because ichthyologists are horrified by such plans. A dude keeping a couple of guppies in an aquarium is in no way an ichthyologist. Not to mention that most of the Neris River belongs to Natura 2000, where any interference is impossible," Marius Čepulis, a famous photographer, broadcaster and naturalist, said on social media.
According to experts, such a waterway would not only negatively affect the condition of salmon and sea bream, but would also cause irreversible damage to salmonids, grasshoppers and other fish, and there would be no place for sturgeon to return to the Neris, as there would be no spawning grounds left for them.
Protecting the natural habitats and rivers of the Neris River – vital for biodiversity conservation
The Neris River is not only a natural heritage of Lithuania, but also of Europe as a whole, rich in natural habitats, which are protected by the Natura 2000 network of protected areas, reminds the Neris Regional Park Authority. This status provides legal protection for the special ecosystems of the River Neris, which are vital for rare and endangered species such as salmon, lampreys, hammerheads, cartilaginous fish, terns, salamanders, salamanders, wedge-tailed shearwaters, and otters.
One of the most important natural values of the River Neris is its specific habitats „river flows with grouse communities“. These habitats are characterised by flowing, clean, oxygen-rich water, which creates favourable conditions for many species to live and breed. However, the ecosystems of the River Neris encompass not only the river itself, but also the wetlands, forests and meadows in its vicinity, which are important natural habitats that are of great value not only for biodiversity, but also for the quality of the water itself, according to the Neris Regional Park Authority.
