« Pour que vive le barbeau… »

This video-film overviews the different steps of the restoration of the barbel (Barbus barbus) in the Belgian Meuse River basin. Geographical distribution and population status (normal, in regression and disappeared) are studied by means of electrofishing. To complete observations in rivers, experimental studies on the reproductive behaviour of the barbel are undertaken in aquarium. Artificial reproduction and mass rearing of fry and fingerlings are developed for restocking purposes. New research aspects are also described a.i. genetic characterizations and habitat studies using radio-tracking. Ali these realizations allow fish diversity to be maintained in a perspective of nature conservation.