If you happened to read the title of today’s post and were forced to do a double take, I can’t say I blame you. A fish doorbell is not exactly a commonality, nor is it something most people would believe exists, but I am here to tell you it does, and, yes, it is precisely what it sounds like.
I caught wind of this website a few years ago and proceeded to completely forget about it up until a few days ago, whereupon I watched an Instagram Reel discussing the website. I decided to write a post about it because it really is a pretty neat concept, and it’s one with great intentions.
According to visdeurbel.nl, this fish doorbell exists at the Weerdsluis in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Here is an explanatory blurb about the purpose of this doorbell, from the site itself:
“Every spring, thousands of fish swim through Utrecht’s canals and waterways, searching for a place to spawn and reproduce.
“In the heart of the city lies the beautiful Weerdsluis, a manually operated lock. When the lock gates are closed, fish are forced to wait, wasting valuable time and energy – making them easy prey for birds and predatory fish.
“To help the fish, an underwater camera is installed at the lock. If fish appear on screen, you can press the doorbell! This alerts the lock keeper, who will open the lock when many fish are waiting.
“You can ‘ring’ the Fish Doorbell from early March to late May. People do so enthusiastically every year. In 2024, the Fish Doorbell attracted around 2.7 million viewers, from America to Brazil! The project has gained global recognition, helping people worldwide learn about fish migration and Utrecht’s underwater world,” the website explains.
You can quite literally go to the website and watch a livestream of fish waiting to be let through, and if that doesn’t bring a smile to your face, I’m not entirely sure what will. Oh, and apparently the name of the site, in Dutch, translates to fish doorbell in English.
Photo by Patricia Jekki on Unsplash
ontheedgeofeverything 