FishCircle Wieringermeer
Habitat and rearing habitat for migratory fish species
By 2020, we will have created an area of over 17 acres in Slootdorp to improve fish migration to and from the Wieringermeer. This Fish Circle, located in the triangle Wieringerrandweg, Hippolytushoeverweg and the Robbenoord forest, is a living and growing area for fish that migrate between fresh and salt water, such as the glass eel and the three-spined stickleback. This is because fish need sufficient food and hiding places for reproduction and growth. Man-made dams, locks and pumping stations have made access to the polder difficult for fish. Also, the brackish water in the Wieringermeer is less suitable for freshwater fish to reproduce. With this new FishCircle, fish will have more space. Artist Pé Okx made a drone video of the construction:
Collaborative partners
The project VisKringloop Wieringermeer is part of Ruim Baan Voor Vissen, a cooperation of the four northern water boards. For half of the costs, the Water Board received a grant from the Wadden Fund. In addition, Staatsbosbeheer received a subsidy from the province of North Holland to establish 5 hectares of Nature Network Netherlands. Vattenfall gave a contribution for the construction of the water compensation for the wind farm.
Because the area is also attractive to hikers, a watchtower and information panels have been installed and a walking path has been laid out. The municipality of Hollands Kroon manages the walking path and the watchtower and, with a subsidy from the province of North Holland, has ensured the connection of the walking network to the route through the forest and along the watchtower. The municipality has also designated this location as the best place to realize the tasks in this project. Grazing of the dikes by sheep is done by local farmers.
Circular design
The design is an idea of bureau HOSPER, artist Pé Okx and ecologist Cor ten Haaf. It is based on the circles that form when you throw two stones side by side into the water. The circles form a contrast to the straight and austere lines in the Wieringermeer and refer to the past: the water of the Zuiderzee. Plants such as reed and cattail grow in and on the slowly sloping banks. In the deeper middle section there is sufficient flow and the water is rich in oxygen. Through this section, fish move through the area and from inside to outside. Against the edge of the existing forest, a forest fringe with shrubs is planted for a gradual transition from the forest to the wetland, which is suitable for insects and birds.