"To have a bad camera can be compared to not having eyes. With SmartEye Precision HD we are able to do optimal feeding at any time and save time and money in the process. In severe weather we can easily control the feeding from land," says Michael Olsen, Operations Manager at Grieg Seafood Finnmark.
FULL CONTROL: Fish farmer Lars André Johnsen (left) and Operating Manager Michael Olsen studies the video images of fish being fed through the control system AKVAconnect 4.1.
Michael Olsen and his team have put a completely new location - Stangnes - to use, just off the wild, arctic coast of Hammerfest where extreme weather is more of a rule than an exception. Located at the northernmost point of Norway they have top modern equipment and sees the world with brand new eyes.
"Look, clear as day! You can see 3 mm pellets and almost count the net masks," fish farmer Lars Andre Johnsen says as the camera in the pen panes along the net wall at several meters distance. Operations Manager Michael Olsen agrees:
"Top equipment means everything in our industry and a quality camera is to be or not to be for us. It is our eyesight and a factor for reliability; without a solid camera, we never could have worked proactively and got the essentials correct. Before, we had to adjust winches and frozen and jammed camera equipment at the pen all day, which we never experience with SmartEye Precision HD and a top V5 winch system," Olsen says.
IN DETAIL: 3 mm pellets are clearly visible at the bottom left.
Tested in extreme conditions
Grieg Seafood Finnmark's location Stangnes is located in the harsh Akkarfjorden at Kvaløya - where the wild coast of Finnmark turns east across Nordkapp and meets the Barents Sea and Russia. The fjord is characterized by the Arctic climate with wind, weather, waves and strong currents. With dark winter months in the mix, the site is ideal for putting new equipment on the toughest tests.
"If there is one place the equipment really is put to test - this is the place. We have very strong currents and a lot of harsh weather. Combined with the winter darkness we are really exposed to external environmental factors, but the SmartEye Precision HD camera and the AKVAconnect 4.1 camera control system proves to be excellent even in extreme conditions. In severe weather we can easily control the feeding with the camera and camera control system from land," Olsen says.
NEW CAMERA: Operating Manager at Stangnes, Michael Olsen, at the pen with the new camera SmartEye Precision HD.
Reliable and trouble-free
The colour algorithm of the camera chip in SmartEye Precision HD makes the colours lifelike.
"You have really extended your eyesight from the control room on the feed barge and to the pen," Olsen says.
Stangnes is a brand-new location which was put to use in November 2019. All equipment is brand new with the latest technology; 7 pens, camera and camera system is just some of the equipment.
"It is a dream come true to be this up-to-date. It really simplifies our work. The winch system also makes a great difference, contributing to reliable and trouble-free days. We are able to focus on what really matters; optimized operation with a focus on fish welfare and growth," he says.
Grieg Seafood ASA is one of the world’s leading fish farming companies, specializing in Atlantic salmon. The Group has an annual production target of 100 000 tonnes gutted weight in 2020 and has farms in Norway, Canada and Shetland. The head office is in Bergen. In total, approximately 780 people work in the Grieg Seafood Group.
EXPOSED: Grieg Seafood Finnmark's location Stangnes is located in the harsh Akkarfjorden at Kvaløya - where the wild coast of Finnmark turns east across Nordkapp and meets the Barents Sea and Russia. The fjord is characterized by the Arctic climate with wind, weather, waves and strong currents.