Remember the fish doorbell that was launched in Oudegracht Utrecht last month? Turns out it a lot of people have had a go on it.Â
Since it’s been installed, viewers all over the world have been watching the fish, the “doorbell” being pressed over 32,000, according to the NOS.
No, this is not an April fools joke. The doorbell works by placing an underwater camera at the Weerdsluis in Utrecht. Viewers notify the lock keeper when they see fish on the screen that are ready to cross. Onlookers “ring the bell” by sending the lock keeper a signal so he can open the lock and let the fish through.
This system was created to help ease fish migration to shallower waters for the summer months. Usually, the lock remains closed during early spring due to the lack of boats passing through. This makes it harder for the fish to migrate and slows down their ability to reproduce.
An unlikely celebrity
As a result of the famous doorbell, the lock keeper, Rashied Saeedi, has become a local celebrity. He tells RTV Utrecht that every day dozens of people come to his house in search of the doorbell. “They want to know where the camera is, whether I have a button to open the door and whether it is not a joke after all.”
Unfortunately, due to the age of the lock, it can’t be opened upon every single request. It is only opened when there is a large amount of fish waiting to cross.
Ring Ring @GemeenteUtrecht @waterschappen #visdeurbel pic.twitter.com/bwI36xCVBY
— Tijs van der Hulst (@TvanderHulst) April 12, 2021
Are you planning on visiting fish doorbell? Let us know in the comments!
Feature Image: mistral family/Pixabay