China now has an AI-based facial recognition system for fish
What's the story
China is employing an artificial intelligence (AI)-based facial recognition system to monitor the movement of fish in Tibet's largest river. The advanced technology has been installed on a dam along the river, replacing manual counting methods that were previously used for tracking. The new system focuses on identifying species unique to China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Global Times reported.
Tech deployment
The AI system has been deployed on a dam
The AI system has been deployed on the Zangmu Hydropower Station, a 116-meter-tall dam built on the middle reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river.
The facility has been operational since 2015 and features a fishway (or fish ladder) that allows aquatic life to swim upstream.
So far, about 570,000 rare fish have successfully navigated this route with its help.
Ecological impact
Monitoring results show stable fish population
The AI-based monitoring system has proven its effectiveness by showing that the fish population in the middle reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo is stable.
Yang Xiaocheng, director of safety and environmental protection at the dam, told Global Times, "From the monitoring results, the fish population in the middle reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo is very stable and has not decreased because of the construction of the hydropower station."
Environmental benefits
Positive impact on aquatic ecology
Xiaocheng also highlighted the positive impact of the hydropower station on the aquatic ecology and animal-plant life in the entire middle gorge section of the Yarlung Tsangpo. This indicates that despite environmental challenges, such as altering natural water bodies, hydropower facilities can benefit local ecosystems.