What is the ‘salmon cannon’ and how does the Whooshh Passage Portal work?
Whooshh innovations, the maker of the salmon cannon, have been in business for over 20 years, they began with a way to quickly and gently transport the easily bruised fruit on farms. But seeing the need to move large numbers of salmon over dams more efficiently, Whooshh evolved into a means of channeling hefty fish at 25 feet per second through tubes hundreds of feet long.
Due to the system of hydroelectric dams blocking rivers across the Pacific Northwest and other regions, salmon often need to be carefully transported upriver, where they can spawn and perpetuate their naturally, culturally, and economically valuable species.
“It’s a great tool that gives national attention to salmon”.
Whooshh innovation developed a unique cannon that shoots fish over a dam using compressed air. The technology behind their product is still in its infancy, but it has been used on an experimental basis in several locations around the world.
The salmon cannon is essentially a high-powered rifle that shoots fish into a water reservoir below. The cannons are made of steel and are mounted on barges or boats that can travel up to 10 miles per hour. The cannon shoots small fish at speeds of up to 200 mph (322 km/hr).
The cannons are designed to work with any type of fish or other aquatic animals, as long as they’re not too big. They’ve tested them out with trout, bass and catfish—but they’re also looking into expanding their line to include larger species like walleye and perch.
Their goal is to make it easier than ever before for recreational fishermen to catch fish in areas where it’s difficult or expensive to do so legally by setting up shop near dams where people aren’t allowed access without special permission from authorities first (such as state government officials).
