Millions tune in to ‘Fish Doorbell’ livestream to help Dutch canal fish during mating season

WASHINGTON — One fish, two fish, let them through fish. 

The Fish Doorbell is an online resource that has somehow united millions of viewers worldwide around a common goal. Helping the fish that swim through the canals in the Dutch city of Utrecht reproduce.  

The underwater camera shows a 24/7 live view of one spot in the canal with a clock showing the local time in the Netherlands. The European country is six hours ahead of Eastern United States time. 

A manually operated lock device that opens to allow boats to sail at different levels can, at times, obstruct the 13 species of fish in the Utrecht canals. According to the Fish Doorbell site, if the fish wait at the lock for too long, they can be swallowed up by prey birds or fall victim to predatory fish. 

The doorbell, or “visdeurbel” in Dutch, sends a signal to operators to lift the lock and let the fish pass through. Usually, the doorbell is visible on the livestream on the Fish Doorbell’s site; other times, so many people are watching the camera, the doorbell feature doesn’t work.

“The stream is crowded, so ringing the doorbell isn’t possible,” the website will read under the stream. “However, you’re always welcome to watch.” 

And people have been watching all right. In 2025, the website reported 2.3 million visitors who viewed the stream no fewer than 30 million times. 

For those wishing to watch the camera, but not worry about the doorbell, a 24/7 live stream is also available on YouTube.

Located in the center of the Netherlands, Utrecht is the country’s fourth-largest city and has a population of nearly 400,000 people. Like its coastal counterpart, Amsterdam, Utrecht has a network of canals that allow boats to sail through the city. 

If you want to visit the doorbell in person, it’s about a 15-minute train ride from Amsterdam. Or you can admire the marine life from the comfort of your home using the online tool.