Fish Passage Section at the Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center The Fish Passage Section performs basic and applied research to: 1) evaluate and improve existing fish passage structures; 2) develop new technologies and engineering principles to enhance fish passage; 3) characterize fish locomotory behaviors relevant to passage; and 4) investigate migratory performance throughout entire watersheds, at the population scale. Studies concentrate on factors influencing behavior and passage of migratory fishes in river environments, such as migratory motivation, attraction, repulsion, responses to hydraulic environments, and limits of swimming performance, especially with reference to upstream and downstream fish passage structures. The Section utilizes and develops tools to answer complex fish passage questions at a high spatial and temporal resolution, often at the scale of the individual fish. Techniques employing advanced experimental design, data analysis, and instrumentation are used to quantify and analyze passage data, and results are integrated with aspects of hydraulics and engineering criteria. Studies of passage performance are conducted in the semi-controlled environment of the CAFRL flume facility and in the field, both in existing fish passage facilities and in riverine environments. The primary products of the Section are peer-reviewed scientific publications, progress reports and reviews of state of knowledge, applied tools for fish passage evaluation, and novel or improved fish passage technologies. Current areas of research: Development and refinement of quantitative, standardized and innovative technologies and methods for upstream and downstream fish passage evaluation. Development of advanced fish passage research protocols in an interdisciplinary environment. Investigation of fish swimming performance, kinematics, and energetics. Assessment of fish passage on a watershed scale. Section: Projects Section: Publications and Products Section: Personnel Fish Passage Facility Capabilities