Salmonids in the Līgatne river near the restored fishway

The camera offers a unique view into the underwater life of the Līgatne River, specifically below the fishway that was restored in the summer of 2020.

The fishway in the Līgatne River is a rare structure in Latvia, designed to facilitate the migration of fish and other aquatic organisms around man-made river obstacles such as sluices and hydroelectric power plants. Salmonids, which either reside in or migrate through the Līgatne River and other Latvian watercourses, face difficulties navigating various types of dams during their spawning season in autumn and winter. Some of these dams are constructed for electricity generation.

In August 2020, to enhance fish spawning conditions in the Līgatne River, the Līgatne County Council restored a wooden fishway originally installed in 2013. This restoration allows salmon, brown trout, sea trout, and grayling – species known for their spawning migrations – to access their spawning grounds in the river’s upper reaches. Following the restoration, many migrating fish were observed during the first spawning season, and a live underwater camera provides a glimpse into this natural process.

As with our bird nest live broadcasts, the underwater camera’s operation is supported by LMT’s 4G connection.

The camera system was set up by Jānis Ķuze and Jānis Rudzītis, with contributions from Jānis Zilvers, Gunarss Škēle, and Māris Mitrēvics. The Latvian Fund for Nature extends its gratitude to the Līgatne County Council, particularly Ainārs Šteins, as well as the representatives of “Līgatne komunālserviss” and all others involved in the installation and support of this live underwater camera broadcast!