Management and Conservation

Aiming at the best practices for management and conservation of fish, through partnerships within the company, programs, procedures and internal indicators were improved and developed, always with scientific support.

In order to reduce any impact during the operation and maintenance of power plants, the Program for Risk Assessment of Fish Death in Hydroelectric Power Plants of Cemig Group is performed under the coordination of “Peixe Vivo” team.  

This makes it possible to assess potential risks to ichthyofauna during the operation of hydroelectric power plants through periodic monitoring and pre-maneuvering monitoring, determining fish density and environmental conditions downstream of hydroelectric power plants. This information, in addition to composing a database, subsidizes corrective and operational actions related to environmental safety of the procedures performed. Aspects of biology of fish species most affected by the maintenance procedures of generating units are also assessed, to better understand the relationship between biological factors and the presence of these species downstream of the power plants.

Another important action is to assess the need to implement transposition systems that allow fish to pass through the dams, enabling migration between spawning areas and feeding areas.  

This assessment, carried out for both existing and new ventures, is essential to measure the efficiency and cost-benefit of each of the proposed solutions and takes into account factors such as the characteristics of each plant and the local fish fauna.

Results

After a little more than 10 years of the Peixe Vivo (Living Fish) program, the work developed was responsible for the 76% reduction in the annual average of fish deaths, with the consequent decrease of 97.7% in environmental fines.

More than R$ 12 million were invested in structural improvements in power plants and environmental stations. With these results, “Peixe Vivo” became a reference for other concessionaires in the sector, being sought for consulting.