AKVA group Deep Farming Nautilus

Nautilus

Submersible net for lower lice pressure and good fish health.

Main principles of the solution

Nautilus has been developed based on experiences with Atlantis and TubenetTM, where the roof and air dome are identical to that used in Atlantis.


The difference between Atlantis and Nautilus is that with Nautilus, the floating pen remains at the surface while the net structure itself is lowered. Nautilus is largely based on well-known equipment for fish farming and is thus somewhat easier to operate.

By operating at depth, it is possible to optimise the conditions for the fish and avoid, for example, lice or other impacts on the surface. The solutions are cost-effective. With our experts and modelling tools, we can help you find out which sites are suitable for deep farming.

So far, we have developed four versions of Nautilus (see the figure below). Our experience to date is that the choice of solution will vary from location to location. Factors impacting the choice of solution will be depth, current, temperature and other environmental conditions.

AKVA group Nautilus

Nautilus

AKVA group Nautilus

Nautilus XL

AKVA group Nautilus

Nautilus Collect

AKVA group Nautilus

Nautilus Omega

Our Marine Engineering department can help you determine which version is best suited for your location.

Marine Engineering

The operational setup is continuously developed together with key partners.

Technical solution

  • The buoyant pen lies on the surface and the net with net roofs and air dome is lowered to less than 20 meters
  • Nets with net roofs and air dome hangs from ropes or straps under the buoyant pen
  • The buoyant pen is without styrofoam, with associated bottom ring
  • Standard frame mooring
  • Prepared for installation of sludge collection
  • The fish get access to air and feed through the air dome that stands in the middle of the net roof
  • Ordinary frame mooring
  • Certified according to NS 9415:21

Important functions

  • Raising and lowering the net:
    ​​​​The net hangs in straps under the buoyancy pen. When you raise or lower the net, you loosen the straps and use a rope to raise or lower the net. This work is done by a boat, or we can deliver a winch that is permanently mounted on the floating pen. When the net is at the correct depth, the straps are attached to their own mooring cleats on the buoyancy pen.

AKVA group Nautilus

  • Air dome in the deep: Submersible fish farm facilities are not a new invention – there are a number of facilities for different species. But it has never been developed for salmon. The reasons are that salmon have an open swim bladder with a channel between the swim bladder and the mouth. The salmon have a natural need to fill their swim bladder approx. once a day and in an open pen it goes up to the surface and "grabs" some air. This is not possible in a submerged pen and the salmon must therefore be offered access to an air pocket in the depths. We do this via an air dome located at the top of the submerged pen, see figure below. The air is replenished every day using the control system AKVA connect.
  • Feeding in-depth: The feed is mixed with water on the barge and then transported out to the pen and down into the depths of the air dome. The feed is distributed to the fish directly under the dome and this area is lit - both so that the fish can see the feed and the air pocket. The fish in Atlantis did not behave differently during feeding than the fish in the surface pens and there are no negative experiences with feeding of Atlantis pens in general.

AKVA group dyp drift atlantis
Picture: The principle for filling a swim bladder in an air dome.

  • Camera and sensors: The fish are monitored using a camera attached to a line under the dome. For monitoring and counting lice and fish welfare parameters, a lice monitoring camera approved by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority for lice counting is used. Then there is no need to take the pen to the surface to count lice manually.

AKVA group nautilus kamera
Picture: We deliver camera setups customized to Nautilus.

Contacts

Magnus R. Bollmann
Magnus R. Bollmann Global Solution Managers Marine Infrastructure SEA BASED - R&D
+47 928 41 620
email
Merete Gisvold Sandberg
Merete Gisvold Sandberg Global Solution Managers Fish Performance R&D Sea Based
+47 95231843
email
Roar Ognedal
Roar Ognedal Product Sales Manager Nets SEA BASED - North / Mid of Norway
+47 920 85 399
email
Jøran Strand
Jøran Strand Sales Manager SEA BASED - North of Norway
+47 952 86 386
email