Continued research and international cooperation within the ReFresh Fish LIFE project

As part of the field activities of the ReFresh Fish LIFE project, in September we welcomed Dr Peter Takács and Reka Pallos, PhD student at the HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute in Hungary.

The visit focused on joint field activities targeting non-native and invasive fish species and on the collection of perch (Perca fluviatilis) samples. Perch is a non-native species in the Adriatic drainage basin, including the Krka River. It is among the most abundant species in terms of fish biomass in Lake Visovac and therefore represents a significant pressure on the native fish community. The Hungarian colleagues participated in fish removal and the collection of perch samples from Lake Visovac, which will be used in research investigating morphofunctional changes in perch in habitats where the species occurs as a non-native and invasive species.

During their visit, they also participated in field activities on the Čikola River and at Lakes Miloševo and Stipančevo. This provided an opportunity to learn more about the rich native fish fauna of these areas, including their endemic fish species, as well as the conservation challenges associated with these unique aquatic ecosystems. The visit also provided an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and experience between researchers from Croatia and Hungary. These activities demonstrate how the ReFresh Fish LIFE project, in addition to achieving its primary objectives of conserving threatened and endemic fish species, creates opportunities for new research questions, knowledge exchange and international collaboration. Collaborations emerging from project activities, although not originally foreseen within the project, represent a valuable added contribution that can lead to new insights into the biology, ecology and adaptation of freshwater fish, while further strengthening connections between researchers and institutions from Croatia and other European countries.