Antifouling and Net Cleaning
Net benefits
Robots, copper and genetics could all be part of the solution for fouling issues BY ROBERT OUTRAM
F
ouling with algae and crustaceans is a major problem for any piece of kit that has to be left in the sea, and fish farmers’ nets are no exception. The Scottish Sea Farms (SSF) sites at Kishorn and Nevis on the west coast of Scotland have been using two “Flying Net Cleaners” from AKVA.The FNC8s ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) are installed on the service vessels Lady Christine and Solas Na Mara.They are equipped with in-built cameras and sensors that enable operators to see the whole net while cleaning. Innes Weir, Regional Production Manager for the Mainland with SSF, told the company’s in-house newsletter, The Source: “The FNC8s provide us with several advantages over our manually operated systems.They allow our dedicated net hygiene staff to operate and view the nets from inside the wheelhouse or purpose-built console, improving safety by keeping them out of the elements. “They provide full visibility and video footage of the net cleaning process and have already assisted in increased containment security on our farms.And they have superior cleaning over our current systems, particularly with the new HDPE SealPro nets, fitted to prevent predator attacks.They also effectively clean the entire base of the net, and are faster and more reliable than manual systems.” The ROVs can clean eight cages in a day compared with five under the previous system, SSF says, and each ROV requires only one person to operate it, while the manual system required two people at a time. SSF notes that younger staff members, raised on console gaming, take very quickly to the ROV controls. Another net washing robot, the AutoBoss from Trimara Services, is now available in Chile following the appointment of aquaculture technology and services business Grupo Ersil as Trimara’s agent in the region. Grupo Ersil was established in 2009 and is based in Puerto Montt, Chile. The AutoBoss is a fully automated net washing machine now used by fin fish farms in Canada, USA, Scotland, Norway, New Zealand, and Greece. Included in the purchase of an AutoBoss is a commissioning and training package. Operators and local mechanics are trained in daily operations as well as routine servicing operations. Ersil will provide these services in Chile as well as sales and marketing backup. Trimara is based in Stirling, Scotland and promotes the AutoBoss in markets around the world. Stewart Hawthorn, Director,Trimara Services, says:“The AutoBoss is a fantastic machine. It is designed to be reliable, user-friendly, and independent.Trimara provides excellence in commissioning, training, and on-going post-sales support.We want to ensure that our AutoBoss customers in Chile will get the same great support that we deliver in other parts of the world. Our new partner, Ersil, is the perfect fit.” As well as on-site washing, nets still require a thorough clean to get rid of fouling at the end of the production cycle. Norway-based Mørenot, which produces nets and moorings for the aquaculture sector, also provides an onshore net cleaning service. Mørenot has a net cleaning facility on Shetland and another in the Western Isles, servicing customers such as Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms and Grieg.
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Right: Stewart Hawthorn Below: The AutoBoss Opposite from top: Sco�sh Sea Farms, Solas Na Mara; The AutoBoss washing automa�cally
David Goodlad, Managing Director, Scotland with Mørenot, says:“Location is key. Mørenot is the only local service provider with its own dedicated piers, which cuts down on time and on the need for road haulage, reducing our carbon footprint.” Customers have access to the Aquacom module, NETS, free of charge. Integrated with the company’s internal systems, this app provides a full overview of the nets’ conditions throughout their whole lifespan. It can track every piece of equipment, providing alerts when inspection or replacement is due, and it can also automatically book in nets for cleaning when the customer is ready, saving time. But can fouling be reduced in the first place, making cleaning easier? Copper has long been used as an antifouling agent for vessels and nets.The introduction of copper bottomed ships, which were faster and did not need to return to port frequently for cleaning, was an early advantage for Britain’s Royal Navy in the days of sail. One solution has been to use copper-based antifouling paint, but this tends to chip off and sink, with copper residue drifting to the seabed, potentially harming benthic organisms. Net maker Garware Technical Fibres has come up with a copper composite yarn,V2, which combines high density polythene (HDPE) with metallic copper.This allows the slow release of copper ions, creating added resistance to biofouling.
www.fishfarmermagazine.com
09/08/2021 15:14:44
