The celebration is organized by AEMS-Rios con Vida, Iberian Center of River Restoration (CIREF), Wetlands International – European Association, Plataforma Ciutadana per el riu Serpis, and the Gandia Campus of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia. The goals are to educate the local community, push for healthier, more “alive” rivers, and raise awareness about the many barriers migratory fish must face to complete their life cycles. Especifically, we will gather by an irrigation weit (there is no fishway) and a ford of the local road.

First, there will be an explanation about the importance of the connectivity for the fish migration and also for other ecological processes. This explanation comprises sediments, fish, macroinvertebrates, and riparian vegetation. Secondly, volunteers of different associations and students of the university and local education centres will separate in groups to make several activities. i) observation of the characteristics of the irrigation weir and a small spillway which could be modified to work as a fishway, together with explanations about the hydraulic properties that fishway should have to be effective; ii) Sample and observe aquatic macroinvertebrates, they are important because they are used (along with other types of organisms) around the world as indicators of the biological quality of rivers. iii) Measurement of the water quality, just basic parameters, like temperature, turbidity and conductivity; iv) demo of how fishermen make flies for fly fishing, by the organisation AEMS who will explain what it is catch and release, that is conservationist fishing; and, v) irrigation and care of the native plants in the riparian zone, in the area where a project for the eradication of invasive cane (Arundo Donax) was done by the Water Administration and the organising entities signed a river stewardship agreement.