Based in Linz, Austria, Fishcon has designed a new generation of passes for fish and aquatic organisms, called Fishcon Lock or 2-Chamber Organism Bypass. The technology is based on a patented hydraulic connection consisting of two lock chambers operating in opposite directions. This system allows fish to swim continuously in both directions, unlike conventional locks with single chambers that operate intermittently.
Many dams, water barriers, hydropower plants and water management structures interrupt river continuity, preventing fish and other aquatic organisms from moving up or downstream to crucial areas for spawning, feeding and growth. Fishcon offers a compact, modular, prefabricated fish pass solution, with the option of integrating a turbine or a hydraulic device to generate electricity as fish pass through.
Fishcon’s two-chamber fish lock, tested over the past five years at three reference sites in Austria with excellent results, restores river continuity, enabling both upstream and downstream migration while taking up less space than traditional devices. The system, also tested in flood conditions, is designed to require minimal maintenance, with few components subject to wear or clogging and relatively simple regular inspections.
Winner of the Greenstar Award from the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund and currently operating in Germany and Austria, Fishcon is now looking to introduce its technology into new markets, having established partnerships in the US, Japan, Sweden and Norway.
Over the years, the company has also developed systems to monitor the passage of fish and, starting in September 2025, in collaboration with Sweden’s TiVA Fish Counter, is using artificial intelligence to automatically detect fish, documenting species and the lengths of migrating specimens. This pilot-phase monitoring has already made it possible to record, with great accuracy, numerous upstream and downstream migrations through the Fishcon lock in Schwarzmühlwehr.
Name:
Fishcon
Website:
Sector:
River management
Pros:
A space-saving, cost-effective alternative to traditional fish migration aids
Features:
A hydraulic circuit that allows fish and aquatic organisms to migrate through dams and water barriers without interruption
Cover: Fishcon image