Grieg Seafood BC and Optoscale have entered into an agreement where Optoscale will provide nine camera sensor units for use at its farms along the east and west coast of Vancouver Island, Grieg announced in a press release dated the 10th December, 2021.
On the benefit of the cameras for Grieg's farms, it was explained that 'the units provide real-time insight and data regarding the performance and growth of farmed salmon populations, which up until now, has only been available to this degree of accuracy after harvesting of the farm has been completed.'
Two of the nine cameras have the Welfare Module and the Standard Biomass Module enabled, the latter of which is used to identify the weight of the fish. The former identifies and monitors wounds, maturation, fin damage and scale-loss between individual fish.
"We started trialing the cameras at one of our farms this past summer, and have been pleased with the real-time data the system provides, which in turn, has allowed for better decision making by our farmers in regard to feeding, harvest schedules and biomass estimation," said Rocky Boschman, Managing Director for Grieg Seafood BC Ltd. "By allowing us to measure the actual size of the fish to a 98 per cent accuracy, we can now use that information to determine if we are over or underfeeding our fish – something we had previously only been able to calculate after the entire pen had been harvested."
Image credit: Grieg Seafood
He also added that overfeeding affects the environment and Grieg's sustainability targets, owing to the carbon contribution of the production of feed. 'By feeding more efficiently, we will help to reduce accidental overfeeding, lower our carbon footprint and help to support the growth and performance of our fish.'
Optoscale, a technology company based in Norway which delivers sensors and software to monitor fish health and welfare, expressed its excitement about the agreement.
"We are excited to be working with Grieg Seafood BC Ltd., and look forward to helping them achieve improved sustainability, high feed conversations ratios – commonly known as FCRs, and supporting the overall improved health, performance and welfare of the fish," Sven Kolstø, the CEO of OptoScale, said.
For more information on Grieg Seafood visit their website, HERE.
For more information on Optoscale visit their website, HERE.
The Aquaculturists
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