Sustainability in practice: A bypass for fish!
Mönsterås sources its water from the Emån river, an extremely important resource for the entire local region and one of the most species-rich rivers in Sweden. Protecting the quality of the water and minimising our water consumption are always on the agenda, which is one of the reasons we acquired the power plant adjacent to our pulp mill.
We were aware at the time that the fish had been feeling the effects of restricted migration patterns because of the power plant. Fish such as salmon and herring begin their lifecycle in freshwater streams and rivers. They then migrate downstream (or in our case, down-river from the power plant reservoir) into the ocean to live and grow. After several years in the ocean, they then return to the same native rivers where they were spawned. Most will swim upriver until they reach the very spawning ground that was their original birthplace. Previously, getting past the power plant had proved difficult for the fish on their way upstream with a steep and narrow passage.
When Södra Cell acquired the power plant two years ago, this project was of course included in the overall sustainability strategy, fulfilling the obligation to rectify the situation. A separate fishway, several hundred metres long, was created so the fish could safely bypass the plant and swim without obstruction.
“We are delighted to say that a new channel for the fish was officially inaugurated earlier this month,” says Karin Dernegård, Production Manager. “It’s a great project as we could see the results immediately and it fits perfectly with our strategy to minimise our environmental footprint and protect the aquatic environment. It’s another step on our journey towards the world’s most sustainable pulp.”
The inauguration video is in Swedish, but you may enjoy the images of watching a salmon being released into the new bypass stream to head happily on its way! Watch the inauguration highlights here.
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Subjects: Pulp
