The goal, from the Sockeye perspective, has not changed: complete the cycle of life, sustain the population, ensure the species existence for the future. The goal may be the same, but the world is changing. The combination of man-made challenges and mother nature’s large-scale acts of environmental modification have changed the game as to just how the Sockeye might reach their goal. We need to recognize that many of these changes are effectively irreversible. Nostalgia will not restore the past. Change is a constant. Today, technological innovations are integrated into the everyday lives of humans, providing increased connectivity, efficiencies and more environmentally friendly options. In the last few years, there have been several opportunities to glimpse the potential of a future for the PNW Sockeye that also embraces technological advancements and increases the opportunity for lifecycle success.
Recognizing the changes that challenge the Sockeye of today, Whooshh Innovations has developed versatile, modular fish recognition and passage technological solutions. The FishL Recognition System component is an imaging system that allows for fish assessment with automatic image data capture, upload and storage, with no handling, confinement or delay. The Whooshh mobile fish transport system (WFTS) enables rapid, safe, transport of fish past barriers through our Fish Migrator, water-misted, flexible tubes, conserving fish energy reserves and facilitating reduced river migration times to cool upriver locations and spawning grounds. The Whooshh Passage Portal (WPP) is a versatile, complete Whooshh system containing components for fish attraction, guidance, recognition and passage. The impact, trade-offs and potential synergies of integrating these technologies into the solutions for the future for Sockeye will be discussed, including the 2019 Sockeye FishL Recognition project at the Bonneville Adult Fish Facility (AFF),and a WFTS Columbia River Sockeye migration study.