# China is using AI facial ID to track migrating fish in Tibet’s largest river > Source: > Published: 2026-08-10 02:00:14+00:00 # China is using AI facial ID to track migrating fish in Tibet’s largest river Round-the-clock tracking system helps to identify and monitor species travelling through a dam fishway on the Yarlung Tsangpo River [artificial intelligence](https://www.scmp.com/topics/artificial-intelligence?module=inline&pgtype=article)-driven fish identification system to conduct round-the-clock tracking of species passing along a fishway on a dam on Tibet’s largest river. Monitoring the route once relied on labour-intensive manual counts, but it now uses an AI-based “fish facial recognition” system to identify species unique to the Tibet autonomous region, according to a report published by Global Times on Tuesday. [Yarlung Tsangpo](https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3359873/active-fault-line-threatens-worlds-biggest-hydropower-project-chinese-geologists-warn?module=inline&pgtype=article)River in 2015, the fishway, also known as a fish ladder, has helped around 570,000 rare fish swim upstream. [hydropower station](https://www.scmp.com/topics/renewable-hydropower?module=inline&pgtype=article?module=inline&pgtype=article?module=inline&pgtype=article),” Yang Xiaocheng, director of safety and environmental protection at the dam, told Global Times. “On the contrary, the aquatic ecology and animal-plant life in the entire middle gorge section of the Yarlung Tsangpo River have shown positive changes,” Yang added. Hydropower facilities offer flood protection and a reliable renewable energy source to offset intermittent renewables such as solar and wind. But they also pose significant environmental challenges due to the restructuring of natural water bodies.