The IREKIBAI project proposes a set of actions, 26 in all, in order to bring an end to the fragmentation suffered by the rivers on the Cantabrian coast, the most noteworthy of which involve the removal or reduction of obstacles which prevent the rivers from functioning naturally. It also aims to control invasive species, such as the American mink, and improve the ecological status of the rivers by restoring their beds and banks.

In addition to this restoration work, the project also aims to provide for monitoring actions, actions through which to study ecosystems and species of Community interest, such as the Pyrenean desman, the allis shad, the sea lamprey and the Atlantic salmon, and also actions through which to analyse how well the fishways which already exist on some obstacles work.

In order to undertake these actions, previous preparatory actions (production of technical projects) will be carried out for each of the conservation actions to be performed and, when this work has been completed, the results obtained will be studied on the basis of the following parameters:

• How the river changes (sediments, form and habitats)


• Effects on the species that inhabit the river


• How the project affects society at a socio-economic level


• How the project affects the ecosystem services (elimination of risks, improvement of the landscape, etc.)

Preparatory actions

• Production of technical projects to design the restoration actions.