Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

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NIOZ fyke fieldwork

From 1959, the trap and fyke-net fishery nearby the institute and near the entry to the Wadden Sea is used for the monitoring of the migration of fish to and from the Wadden Sea. This laid the foundation for a long-term ecological time series. Since 1972 Hans Witte and Sieme Gieles took care of the NIOZ fyke. Nowadays by the next generation of assistents.

Adult Atlantic croakers

Adult Atlantic croakers

Remarkable | The Atlantic croaker (Dutch: Knorrepos) is a common fish on the East Coast of America, but very rare on this side of the Atlantic ocean.

Rare parasite on thicklip mullet

Rare parasite on thicklip mullet

Remarkable | Parasites on fish are found regularly, but this type of parasite is not so common. A parasitic isopod, a large female with a length of 25mm.

Problems with fyke nets

Problems with fyke nets

Troubles | The fyke nets are attached to stakes. Wooden stakes are attractive to naval shipworms which drill holes in wood for shelter.

Little cuttle fish

Little cuttle fish

Remarkable | A very nice species to observe is the little cuttlefish. This species of about 4 cm in length acts like a common cuttlefish.

Catch of a round goby

Catch of a round goby

Remarkable | The round goby arrived in the Netherlands a few years ago from the Black Sea. It remains unclear whether it came from.

Adult eel in the fyke again

Adult eel in the fyke again

Remarkable | The life cycle of an Eel is one of the most spectacular fish journeys a fish can undertake. They have to pass the Wadden Sea twice in their life.

Fish louse on a mullet

Fish louse on a mullet

Remarkable | Fish can have trouble from lice too. We found a large fish louse on a thicklip grey mullet, caught in the NIOZ fish trap in May 2015.

Monitoring the fyke catches

Monitoring the fyke catches

History | In 1959, the NIOZ director at that time, Jan Verweij, recognised an opportunity to monitor the migration of fish to and from the Wadden Sea.