The 2-day workshop, funded within the framework of the BMU’s (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety) Environmental Research Plan, took place from 3 to 4 December 2019 in Augsburg at the Bavarian State Office for the Environment.

After the Forum has voiced its desire to formulate local objectives for fish protection and downstream migration as concretely, as precisely, as realistically, as verifiably, and as transparently as possible, the 8th workshop of the Forum was dedicated to the topic "Fish Protection Objectives, Monitoring and Functional Control".

On the first day, an overview of specific quantitative (limit values) and qualitative objectives of fish protection in Germany and on the European level was given.

Based on this it was discussed which of the objectives are only relevant under specific conditions and which can be agreed upon on a broad basis. To complement this, a short questionnaire was used to gather opinions beforehand.

The discussion on fish conservation objectives was taken place in three parallel groups. As a result, concrete objectives of fish protection in Germany was defined, which can thus serve as orientation for the planning, construction and operation of fish protection and downstream migration systems. The objectives are explained and documented in fact sheets.

On the second day, it was examined whether and how the identified fish protection objectives can be evaluated through functional controls or monitoring. In workshops, the methodological possibilities for verifying the achievement of fish protection objectives and the associated uncertainties regarding their significance were presented and discussed. At the end of the event, the objectives of fish protection were formulated and statements are made as to whether and with what certainty the achievement of the objectives can be evaluated through monitoring using the methods currently available.

In the events to follow, the measures and efficiency with which these objectives can be achieved and how local objectives can be appropriately deduced will be discussed in depth.