The Aquaculture Blog

One of AKVA group's goals toward a sustainable future is to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint in the aquaculture industry. Waste estimates show that waste from the Norwegian aquaculture industry generated about 16.000–29.000 tons of plastic per year[1]. The plastic resources are reused or collected and recycled. Potential climate savings from national management of plastic waste from aquaculture is up to 50 million kilograms of CO₂ by preventing, among other things, the incineration and export of resources.

To overcome the salmon louse, the industry has used garlic, lasers and chemicals, closed pens have been built and technology has been developed that separates salmon and lice. Some measures have a demonstrable effect, while others have had no effect at all. But the aquaculture industry has learned quite a lot over the last 40-50 years. Believing in an invention that is a universal miracle which, as if by magic, removes all problems related to salmon lice, while retaining both quality and economy, does not seem very realistic.

Tubenet™ has managed the transition from research and development to commercial production extremely well and was launched as a commercial product in AKVA group in 2018. The first deliveries have now been in use for some time and we and our customers have gathered valuable experience. A new product introduced on the market must expect continuous product development, adjustments, and improvement in the initial phase.

Reputation and profitability are strengthened when the aquaculture industry works continuously to minimise its impact on the environment. Therefore, to be competitive it is only natural and essential that the suppliers to the aquaculture industry also follow suit.

Four years ago, AKVA group and the ROV manufacturer Sperre launched the first remotely free flying net cleaning system. At the time it was not uncommon to apply whatever pressure available from the HP pumps onboard the service vessels to the nets, in many cases well over 200 bar. The combination of net cleaners using belts as propulsion crawling on the nets, and high pressure applied to the nets, turned out to result in significant wear and tear on the nets and net mesh. Today we know better.

Even the best fish feeders are limited by their ability to manage multiple data streams and recall the historical performance of the pen they are feeding. Therefore, the next improvement to modern feeding practices is to apply the science of AI technology.

Is it possible to improve netting properties by changing mesh geometry? After much detailed work on the re-launch of a hexagonal mesh netting system, our answer is a definitive Yes! I want to share the results we have achieved at Egersund Net during product development and testing of the new netting design.

Fish farmers already know that the boat is essential for allowing personnel to get the job done. Work in the fish farming industry can involve a great deal of strain, and the requirements you place on the boat have an impact on the safety, efficiency, and comfort of your employees. Regardless of the purpose, the boat has to be safe and resilient and have a long service life maximise the investment. When thinking about expanding or replacing parts of your fleet, there are a few things you should consider.

Artificial light sources can significantly increase farmed salmon growth when used correctly, and in some instances, by up to 15%. However, it takes a bit more than a corrosion-resistant and waterproof lamp. We need to understand fish’ biology to provide precisely the light it needs.

Several fish farmers face a significant environmental burden once a year when replacing the batteries of the marking lights on the fish farm. New, green technology can eliminate thirty kilos of environmentally harmful waste per year for each light.