But Pittock and other scientists are dubious of the Laotian government claims. "Experts are categorical in saying that fish passage devices have failed on large dams in Asia," since they are unlikely to meet the needs of the volume of fish and won’t change the dam’s effects on flood pulses, Pittock said in an email. He calls the analysis "irresponsible" for failing to consider how millions of people will replace the protein lost if fish numbers plummet due to blocked migrations and reduced flows