Dam removal on the Gave d'Azun river to open this tributary of the Gave de Pau for brown trout and Atlantic salmon.
The Gave d’Azun is a thirty-kilometre-long watercourse in the western Pyrenees that flows into the Gave de Pau. This river is home to numerous threatened species: Atlantic salmon, Pyrenean Desman, the European Otter, etc.
This stream can play a very important role for these species, which are also present in the Gave de Pau, but the dams limit the possibility of exchange between the Gave de Pau and Gave d’Azun rivers.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Dam removal: demolition |
| Country | France |
| River | Gave d'Azun |
| Removal timeline | October 2026 |
| Km to be opened | 3 km |
| Focal species | Atlantic salmon, Brown Trout |
| Organisation | Fédération Départementale des Associations Agréées pour la Pêche et la Protection du Milieu Aquatique des Hautes-Pyrénées (FDAAPPMA 65) |
| Website | peche65.fr |
Since 1917, the salmon population in the Gave de Pau has been almost completely wiped out due to the construction of dams. However, this is a key area for salmon, with favourable habitats. Over the past 20 years, efforts have been made to restore the salmon population, yielding very encouraging results.
Restocking and significant work to improve ecological continuity on over 140 km of the Gave de Pau have enabled salmon to return to spawn at the confluence with the Gave d’Azun stream.
This project is also an opportunity because the dam no longer has any use, as the fish farm is closing.
The dam removal will free up 3 km of river upstream.
Funded by
