Recovery program for Burbot – new chances for an extinct fish species in Flanders. 40 years after extinction, a recovery program for Burbot (Lota lota) in the Flemish Region of Belgium was initiated. First a feasibility study for the reintroduction of the species was started. The feasibility study consisted of a research project on population genetics, artificial breeding under controlled circumstances and a habitat suitability study. An extensive field campaign was conducted to explore the habitat use of the species under reference conditions. The habitat use of the species was studied for different life stages in a reference biotope in the French Ardennes, in the river La Bar. Habitat preference of juvenile Burbot was investigated on the macroscale, while habitat-use of subadult and adult Burbot were studied on a microscale. Fyke catches were used to investigate winter spawning migration. Most important conclusions of this research were that subadult and adult Burbot prefer habitats with shelter opportunities near the river bank, such as undercut banks, and that larval and juvenile Burbot mainly occur in moderately flowing, highly vegetated tributaries. Adult Burbot mainly migrated into the deeper tributaries and spawning migration was stimulated by a sudden increase of water level, after severe rainfall in winter. These results allowed development and testing of habitat suitability models for subadult and adult Burbot on one hand and for juvenile/ spawning habitat on the other hand. Application of these models on Flemish water courses lead to the selection of water courses for pilot reintroductions. First results of these reintroductions show that reintroduced Burbot attempt to survive and has a normal growth in the Flemish rivers.

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Johan Coeck, Alain Dillen, Daniel De Charleroy, Inne Vught, & Koen de Haas. (2008). Soortherstelproject Kwabaal - nieuwe kansen voor een verdwenen vissoort in Vlaanderen. RAVON, 10(2), 31–35.