The decline of freshwater fish biodiversity is proceeding at an alarming and persistent rate, threatening the productivity and sustainability of ecosystems. Given that most fish must undertake some form of migration in order to complete their life-cycle, of particular concern is the proliferation of hydropower schemes that block migration routes. Several locations in the southern hemisphere are among the major global hotspots of hydropower development. They are also home to some of the least studied fish communities in the world. Mitigation measures for fish passage around hydropower schemes have traditionally relied on designs developed for strong swimming fishes of the northern hemisphere. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that these designs are ineffective for generally smaller, relatively weak swimming fishes with complex life-histories, such as those found in temperate regions of the southern hemisphere, but there is very little understanding of the mechanisms involved. This innovative project represents the first systematic attempt to bring together world-leading practitioners from the northern hemisphere with biologists, engineers and stakeholders from the southern hemisphere in an effort to exchange knowledge and construct a shared vision for fish passage science and policy. This will be achieved through systematic review, expert consultation, ecological modelling, training programmes, networking and stakeholder engagement using a novel combination of approaches. This paper will introduce the project to the ecohydraulics community and seek to engage stakeholders and potential collaborators.