Qualifications
- BSc (University of Hull)
- PhD / DPhil (University of Hull)
Summary
I specialise in the spatial ecology of freshwater and diadromous fishes in a range of aquatic environments using telemetry, sonar and eDNA techniques at the University of Hull (Hull International Fisheries Institute; HIFI).
I predominantly study the impact of anthropogenic activities on fish migration, including low head weirs, fish passage solutions, pumping stations, hydropower schemes and reservoir compensation flow releases. For example, I lead the REsearch and Development of fish and Eel Entrainment Mitigation at pumping stations (REDEEM) project, investigating the spatial distribution of fish and eels in pumped catchments, the processes that lead to entrainment, the effectiveness of existing technologies and develop innovative approaches to minimise entrainment and provide safe downstream passage.
I have also led investigations into catchment-wide migration of upstream-migrating adult sea lamprey and river lamprey, twaite shad, salmonids and cyprinids.
Outputs available at https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/person/310769/jon-bolland/outputs
Journal Article
The Seaward Migration of European Eel at a Continental Scale: A Europe-Wide Biotelemetry Meta-Analysis
Verhelst, P., Righton, D., Aarestrup, K., Almeida, P. R., Bašić, T., Bolland, J. D., Carter, L., Coeck, J., Costa, J. L., Dainys, J., Davidsen, J. G., Domingos, I., Dorow, M., Feunteun, E., Frankowski, J., Griffioen, A. B., Monteiro, R. M., Moore, A., Oldoni, D., Piper, A. T., …Reubens, J. (2025). The Seaward Migration of European Eel at a Continental Scale: A Europe-Wide Biotelemetry Meta-Analysis. Fish and Fisheries, 26(4), 651-668. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12904
Migration delays at head-of-tide weirs are a function of tidal cycles and river flows in anadromous twaite shad Alosa fallax
Yeldham, M., Britton, J. R., Crundwell, C., Davies, P., Dodd, J., Grzesiok, C., Nunn, A., Velterop, R., & Bolland, J. (in press). Migration delays at head-of-tide weirs are a function of tidal cycles and river flows in anadromous twaite shad Alosa fallax. Estuaries and coasts : journal of the Estuarine Research Federation,
Contrasting responses to riverine barrier modification and fish pass provision in two anadromous non-salmonid species during their spawning migrations
Yeldham, M., Britton, J. R., Crundwell, C., Davies, P., Dodd, J., Grzesiok, C., Nunn, A., Velterop, R., & Bolland, J. (in press). Contrasting responses to riverine barrier modification and fish pass provision in two anadromous non-salmonid species during their spawning migrations. The journal of applied ecology,
Genotype But Not Body Shape Predicts River Migration Success in Atlantic Salmon
Moccetti, P., Bolland, J. D., Adams, C. E., Rodger, J. R., Honkanen, H. M., Newton, M., Lothian, A. J., Nunn, A. D., & Joyce, D. A. (2024). Genotype But Not Body Shape Predicts River Migration Success in Atlantic Salmon. Ecology and Evolution, 14(12), Article e70682. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70682
Two decades of body length measurements of larval and juvenile fish populations in English rivers
Ainsworth, R. F., Vickers, L. H., Bolland, J. D., Taylor, M. J., Harvey, J. P., Noble, R. A., Cowx, I. G., & Nunn, A. D. (2024). Two decades of body length measurements of larval and juvenile fish populations in English rivers. Scientific Data, 11, Article 1271. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-04127-w
Research interests
Internally at the University, I served on the University Research Committee (2017-2022). Externally, I represented the UK on a EU European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) action for the development of the European Tracking Network and England in developing a European Committee for Standardization (CEN) standards for fish pass assessment (BS EN 17233:2021). I sit on the FishPass project (hosted by Great Lakes Fishery Commission) Advisory Board – Science Team, and also a member of the Fish Passage Conference steering committee.
Co-investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Impacts of a major tidal barrier on riverine fish populations
Funder
Environment Agency
Grant
£9,994.30
Started
1 August 2024
Status
Ongoing
Project
Effective Management and Restoration of the River Lamprey Stocks in the River Trent
Funder
Marine Management Organisation
Grant
£99,107.16
Started
1 August 2019
Status
Complete
Project
Missing Salmon - does their DNA hold the answer?
Funder
Atlantic Salmon Trust
Grant
£32,760.00
Started
1 October 2019
Status
Complete
Project
EA Fisheries Framework
Funder
Environment Agency
Grant
£1,163,321.20
Started
1 August 2009
Status
Complete
Project
YWS AMP7 Ecological Services Framework
Funder
APEM Ltd
Grant
£527,436.26
Started
1 April 2020
Status
Complete
Project
Returning Lamprey To The River Trent
Funder
Natural England
Grant
£111,719.01
Started
1 August 2023
Status
Complete
Project
eDNA monitoring of restoration effects on the River Severn - (Phase III)
Funder
Natural England
Grant
£12,349.99
Started
24 October 2023
Status
Complete
Project
Migratory Fish Pathways & Barriers Literature Review
Funder
Natural England
Grant
£18,850.00
Started
31 July 2023
Status
Complete
Project
Species Evidence Base v2 Fish Cost Centre
Funder
Natural England
Grant
£18,810.00
Started
23 October 2023
Status
Complete
Project
ZSL River Severn
Funder
Zoological Society of London
Grant
£7,644.97
Started
1 June 2024
Status
Complete
Postgraduate supervision
Completed PhDs:
–Paolo Moccetti. Investigating the interplay of genetics, morphology and migration in salmonids (University of Hull, 2024)
–Stephen Collier. The influence of hydrodynamics on the behaviour of European eel at anthropogenic structures (University of Hull, 2024)
–Oliver Evans. The effectiveness of fish-friendly pumping stations for downstream migrating silver European eel (Anguilla anguilla) (University of Hull, 2023)
–Josh Norman. Understanding behavioural ecology of river-resident fish in winter to improve protection at water pumping stations (University of Hull, 2022)
–Liam Carter. Enhancing critically endangered European eel (Anguilla anguilla) protection at hazardous intakes. (University of Hull, 2022)
–Nathan Griffiths. Developments in environmental DNA (eDNA) based decision-making in modified river catchments (University of Hull, 2022)
–Will Jubb. Understanding the impacts of exploitation and fragmentation on the upstream migrating, adult river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis [L.]): implications for conservation (University of Hull, 2022)
–Pete Davies. Movement ecology of two threatened anadromous species, twaite shad Alosa fallax and sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus, revealed by acoustic telemetry (Bournemouth University, 2021)
–Nicola Baker. Mitigating the impacts of river flow regulation and barriers to fish spawning migrations (University of Hull, 2018)