A water screen system for collecting aquatic life and debris, comprising: a traveling water screen including lift elements; a high pressure spray emitter (219; 719) for applying a high pressure fluid spray to the water screen to release debris from the water screen; and a collection device (200; 300; 400; 500; 500'; 600; 600'; 700; 800; 800'; 900; 900') for aquatic life and debris trapped by the water screen, the collection device (200; 300; 400; 500; 500'; 600; 600'; 700; 800; 800'; 900; 900') comprising: a first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 610'; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') for collecting aquatic life trapped by the water screen; a second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 620'; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') for collecting debris trapped by the water screen, the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 620'; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') exposed to a high pressure spray from the high pressure spray emitter (219; 719); characterised in that, the system furher comprises a shield (241; 340; 440; 540; 540'; 540"; 640; 741; 840) for shielding the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') from the high pressure spray; and a filter (250; 260; 280; 292; 343; 441; 541; 652; 692; 752; 852; 852'; 952; 952') for allowing fluid flow from the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') to the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') while preventing aquatic life collected by the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') from entering the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920'). a traveling water screen including lift elements; a high pressure spray emitter (219; 719) for applying a high pressure fluid spray to the water screen to release debris from the water screen; and a collection device (200; 300; 400; 500; 500'; 600; 600'; 700; 800; 800'; 900; 900') for aquatic life and debris trapped by the water screen, the collection device (200; 300; 400; 500; 500'; 600; 600'; 700; 800; 800'; 900; 900') comprising: a first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 610'; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') for collecting aquatic life trapped by the water screen; a second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 620'; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') for collecting debris trapped by the water screen, the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 620'; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') exposed to a high pressure spray from the high pressure spray emitter (219; 719); characterised in that, the system furher comprises a shield (241; 340; 440; 540; 540'; 540"; 640; 741; 840) for shielding the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') from the high pressure spray; and a filter (250; 260; 280; 292; 343; 441; 541; 652; 692; 752; 852; 852'; 952; 952') for allowing fluid flow from the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') to the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') while preventing aquatic life collected by the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') from entering the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920'). a first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 610'; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') for collecting aquatic life trapped by the water screen; a second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 620'; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') for collecting debris trapped by the water screen, the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 620'; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') exposed to a high pressure spray from the high pressure spray emitter (219; 719); characterised in that, the system furher comprises a shield (241; 340; 440; 540; 540'; 540"; 640; 741; 840) for shielding the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') from the high pressure spray; and a filter (250; 260; 280; 292; 343; 441; 541; 652; 692; 752; 852; 852'; 952; 952') for allowing fluid flow from the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920') to the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') while preventing aquatic life collected by the first compartment (210; 310; 410; 510; 510'; 510"; 610; 710; 810; 810'; 910; 910') from entering the second compartment (220; 320; 420; 520; 520'; 520"; 620; 720; 820; 820'; 920; 920').