The salmon cannon is an ingenious device that routes salmon around dams that would otherwise prevent them from reaching their spawning grounds. It's really just a tube, but cannon sounds so much better. The device's actual name is "passage portal," but even Whooshh, the manufacturer, calls it a salmon cannon in their promotional video.
The original version required the salmon to be placed in the cannon by hand, which is labor-intensive and stressful to the salmon. The upgraded portal allows fish to swim on their own, which they instinctively do due to the water flowing out of the tube.
What happens after the fish enter is where the really interesting stuff happens. Multiple high-definition photographs are taken of each fish, identifying its species, whether it is native or from a hatchery, and if it is injured. The system will also identify invasive species, allowing them to be returned to where they came from or removed.
It still looks like an insane ride for the salmon.
Previously:
• Aggressive, carnivorous, air-breathing, land-walking invasive fish spotted in Louisiana
• Hackers compromised smart fish tank at casino
• Woman encounters 'monster' while fishing with a hotdog
