15 minute read
Including a look at the Innova� on award shortlist
Best of both worlds
We talked to some of the businesses set to be represented at Aqua Nor, in person or virtually
Aqua Nor, one of the fi sh farming sector’s biggest and most infl uen� al trade shows, is back – in a new, hybrid format incorpora� ng both an in-person conference and exhibi� on and a virtual event with online presenta� ons and digital mee� ng spaces.
The physical event takes place over 24-27 August, at the Spektrum conference venue in Trondheim, Norway; while the virtual format will allow a� endees to view presenta� ons and set up digital get-togethers both during and a� er the event.
Fish Farmer spoke to some of the companies planning to be there, both digitally and in-person.
Aquaculture technology supplier Ace Aquatec will be present both at the exhibi� on in Trondheim and in Aqua Nor’s digital space. As a company headquartered in the UK – which is s� ll restricted in terms of travel to Norway – many head offi ce staff will not be able to make it in person this � me, but Ace will be well represented by its Norway-based staff . Preben Imset Matre, Regional Manager, Northern Europe with Ace Aquatec, says: “Over the past 18 months suppliers have learned how crucial the whole conference, expo tour is. Historically this is not where the bulk of sales are concluded, but it’s
Above: A selec� on of previous Aqua Nor shows Left: Preben Matre Opposite: Mike Spain; Trondheim
where rela� onships are built; for sales, for hiring and for new industry projects, for example. “There is a kind of serendipity when you meet in person.” The key messages from the company explore how its exis� ng award-winning products have been further developed to address new challenges arising in the industry, alongside launching new technologies. For example, Matre says, the Humane Stunner Universal for smolts, parr and fry has proved very successful. It has meant that, when farmers have to cull smaller fi sh, they are s� ll fi t to be used for animal consump� on. In contrast, when chemical anaesthesia is used there are residues in the body and the smolts would not even be suitable for pet food.
The system has been successfully trialled in Scotland and New Zealand, and is due to be deployed in Norway.
Meanwhile, Ace Aquatec will also be talking about the latest developments in its harves� ng technology. Matre says: “We have been pilo� ng a water-based jet for bleeding in Scotland. It can typically work as part of an automa� c system with in-water stunning.”
The Waterjet Bleeder uses automated high-precision jets of water and a robo� c arm instead of tradi� onal physical blades. This results in be� er hygiene, lower maintenance costs, and no manual calibra� on for diff erent fi sh sizes.
The company will also be keen to talk about its latest genera� on of acous� c deterrent devices (ADDs), which are calibrated to “startle” seals and encourage them to avoid salmon pens, without causing harm to them or to other marine mammals.
Bogi Nielsen, Sales Manager, Nordics with Danish-based feed business Aller Aqua will also be present at Aqua Nor this year. He says: “It is important to show a physical presence and meet people. It’s not that we do huge deals at Aqua Nor, but it provides an opportunity to meet in a relaxed, social se� ng. You get a lot of great contacts and you can put faces to names.”
He concedes, however: “I’ve also been speaking to some farmers who are not going this � me because they don’t want to risk poten� al exposure [to Covid].” Aller Aqua will be talking about its success in developing feed for – in par� cular – halbut and cod – and also about its specialist feed for post-smolts to help ease their transi� on from fresh water to the sea. One of the factors driving change in the feed sector, Nielsen says, is changing consumer percep� ons and concern for sustainability. He comments: “If consumers direct us to seek less input in feed from the marine environment, for example, or to focus more reducing CO2, the industry must move towards that.” The level of investment in land-based recircula� ng aquaculture systems (RAS) is also driving innova� on in feed, he says.
Nielsen points out: “RAS is not the same – for example, there is much more emphasis on reducing water pollu� on and faeces. RAS is a growing
market and as they say: ‘If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere’. It will be the highest specifi ca� on for feed.”
Aller Aqua will be taking a tradi� onal approach to Aqua Nor, focusing on a physical presence rather than the virtual side of the show.
Nielsen explains: “We would need dedicated staff for the online platform. We will have a team who will be present at the exhibi� on and they will be very busy.”
SAMS Enterprise – the commercial arm of the Sco� sh Associa� on for Marine Science – will be a� ending Aqua Nor in virtual form only this year. With SAMS being based in Scotland, this was the only op� on as Mike Spain, Head of Enterprise SAMS Enterprise, explains.
Spain says: “We have a number of exhibi� ons coming up over the next few months, some in person, some hybrid and some fully remote.
“We are lucky that we have an excellent comms team!”
He adds: “At Aqua Nor there’s a great facility for se� ng up digital meetings – the in-person event is just one week but the pla� orm will be open for a year, so there’s an opportunity to meet up a� erwards. Maybe we will see more of this hybrid approach in future.”
SAMS is involved with a range innova� ve projects in the fi eld of aquaculture. One important talking point for the organisa� on at Aqua Nor will
Aqua Nor 2021 at a glance
23 AUGUST: All-digital conference: “More Food From the Oceans: Blue is the New Green” (organised by the Nor-Fishing Founda� on, SINTEF and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology) 24 AUGUST: Offi cial opening of the Aqua Nor Conference and presenta� on of the Innova� on Award 24-27 AUGUST: Aqua Nor Conference and exhibi� on 25-27 AUGUST: Professional Conference
AQUANOR.NO/EN/
be NewDEPOMOD, our “deposi� onal modelling” tool – es� ma� ng, based on marine condi� ons, number and density of fi sh stocking and other factors such as feed, what will be the level of deposits of fi sh waste at a given farm site.
The model is used by the Sco� sh Environment Protec� on Agency (SEPA) to calculate what the parameters should be for each farm site.
Spain says: “It also allows the farmer to increase stocking, helping produc� vity, if the model can show that deposits will be within the parameters allowed.
“We are focused on enabling produc� ve oceans, while protec� ng the environment.”
SAMS is working with the Sustainable Aquaculture Innova� on Centre and the Sco� sh Salmon Producers Organisa� on to apply its model in Scotland, and SAMS is also independently adap� ng the model for the deeper waters off Chile and Norway, and even for tropical loca� ons.
Spain says of Aqua Nor: “It is one of the most important events in aquaculture, not only because Norway is one of the major producing na� ons but also so many of the key players elsewhere in the world are headquartered there.”
UK-based aquaculture technology business Gael Force Group will also be par� cipa� ng in a strictly virtual capacity.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Back in January we took the decision to not exhibit physically at Aqua Nor. It was around about the � me when uncertainty was s� ll pre� y rife and at a stage where we needed to start making
Opposite from top: Ace Aquatec technology; SeaQurePen 500, from Organic Sea Harvest Above: A reminder of past Aqua Nor shows commitments to stand contractors and suppliers, something we clearly couldn’t do. In hindsight, it was defi nitely the right decision to make given that travel remains an issue for many.
“While it won’t be a match for mee� ng up face-to-face, we are hopeful that our fi rst foray into digital exhibi� ng will s� ll help provide our customers with updates on our latest equipment and technology.” One of the developments Gael Force will be highligh� ng this � me is the 2022 model of the SeaQurePen 500. Tougher, stronger and even more “SeaQure” than before, the 2022 model is based on research and development which has taken mul� ple loca� ons and farming condi� ons into considera� on to produce a fully integrated system for high-energy sites. Gael Force says: “What we have delivered is an evolu� onary, tough pen system taken from our clear understanding of those customer challenges, in-depth research and development techniques, and a high level of in-house knowledge. SeaQurePen reduces pen furniture and related maintenance and increases reliability which will lower farming costs.” The company will also be revealing more about “an exci� ng update” to its Pellet Detec� on so� ware including video demonstra� ons. And its new, exclusive partnership with the net manufacturer, FISA, puts Gael Force in a strong posi� on to off er fully turnkey, single-source supply of equipment, technology and services. Gael Force will be spelling out the benefi ts to customers from using a single supply partner for installa� on.
Also showcasing cu� ng-edge technology at Aqua Nor 2021 will be Nagell D, which specialises in delivering virtual reality-based visual content for the aquaculture and mari� me industries. The company’s technology makes it possible to hold team mee� ngs in VR format and also makes use of interac� ve, user-friendly 3D anima� ons.
Norwegian company SIMONA Stadpipe, a leading specialist in innova� ve piping systems, will be talking about its growing exper� se in landbased RAS facili� es, while Norwater Freshwater will also be showcasing its RAS technology. Net specialist FiizK will also be among the exhibitors.
Aqua Nor itself has had to be innova� ve to deal with the restric� ons imposed by the pandemic, and it will be interes� ng to see whether the model developed for 2021 may become a template for future shows.
To register, or for more informati on on Aqua Nor 2021, go online to Aquanor.no/en/ FF
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One thing that has not changed for Aqua Nor 2021 is the Innovation Award, which will be presented as part of the show’s opening
THREE companies have been shortlisted for the award, which comes with a prize of NOK 100,000 (just over £8,100). They are: Noras Global SA, based in Torres Vedras, Portugal; SeaRAS AS, based in Bergen, Norway; and VAKI (a part of MSD Animal Health), based in Kópavogur, Iceland. All three companies are nominated for their innova� ve solu� ons, promo� ng either safety or fi sh health in the aquaculture industry.
Noras Global has developed a unique lifebuoy, U Safe. The buoy can be thrown into the sea where it automa� cally ac� vates. It is remotely controlled by a joys� ck so that it can quickly reach a person in danger. The buoy has two eff ec� ve turbine motors and is symmetrical, to ensure it works effi ciently regardless of how it lands in the sea. Eff ec� vely, U Safe is an aqua� c gardless of how it lands in the sea. Eff ec� vely, U Safe is an aqua� c robot adapted to life-saving.
U Safe is manufactured in Portugal. It has been adopted by U Safe is manufactured in Portugal. It has been adopted by marine, government, fi rst response and tourism organisa� ons marine, government, fi rst response and tourism organisa� ons all over the world and is patented in 71 countries.
SeaRAS AS was shortlisted for SeaRAS Aquasense, a new SeaRAS AS was shortlisted for SeaRAS Aquasense, a new method for measuring and monitoring water parameters and especially H2S – otherwise known as hydrogen sulphide – at low levels in fi sh farms and tanks in wellboats.
H2S is a major threat for fi sh farming and RAS (recircula� ng aquaculture systems) in par� cular.
Eldar Lien, General Manager at SeaRAS, told Fish Farmer: “This is the only system that can monitor H2S down to this level, 0.05µg/L (micrograms per litre). H2S is a big threat and there is a lack of knowledge about its eff ects. It is a silent killer over � me, as well as being associated with mass mortali� es causing huge fi nancial losses. Even low doses over a long � me can eff ect fi sh health.”
Using Aquasense, alarms can be set to go off when the level of H2S reaches a given level. The system is already installed in many RAS farms and is also used in some wellboats to control levels of H2S in tanks before live fi sh is pumped on board and during transport/treatment. Lien adds: “Real-� me monitoring (repor� ng) is a must. It’s not enough to sample water in a RAS system a few � mes (once) a day. Traceability in real � me of water quality for each fi sh group is now available and you can make sure you have a fi sh that is fi t and not handicapped by the water quality.”
VAKI, part of the MSD Animal Health group, has been shortlisted for the Density Control feature in its SmartFlow SystemTM. This is a game changer as it automates, controls, and monitors fi sh density to maximise fi sh welfare, and to enhance fi sh handling processes in aquaculture.
“The main benefi t is the ability to monitor, control and op� mise the balance of live fi sh and water into a fi sh handling system at the outset when moving fi sh for transport, coun� ng, grading, or vaccina� on,“ says VAKI managing director Benedikt Hálfdanarson.
The Density Control feature maintains a consistent and pre-set ra� o of live fi sh and water during the fi sh handling process. The regulator thins out the fl ow if the volume of fi sh in the pipeline surpasses a certain density, eliminating overcrowding.
Density Control is an integral part of the SmartFlow System, and it can be controlled automa� cally or manually. The outcome is a very even fi sh fl ow which op� mizes the capacity of both grader and counter and the outcome is more accurate than ever.
The SmartFlow System allows customers to gather and store informa� on about all measured fi sh for easy comparisons of size and number VAKI devices can be controlled and fi ne-tuned to achieve high levels of effi ciency and accuracy.
Density Control comes in handy for diff erent areas of aquaculture. For instance, when vaccina� ng, users can control the number of fi sh that fl ow instance, when vaccina� ng, users can control the number of fi sh that fl ow into the vaccina� on sta� on. The en� re process can be automated. into the vaccina� on sta� on. The en� re process can be automated.
“At the end of each session the system then generates a detailed report which shows how gently the system has been running,” says Benedikt. which shows how gently the system has been running,” says Benedikt.
“It proves that you have been running the fi sh transfer under maximum capacity and the outcome is lower stress on the fi sh.”
The shortlist, in conjunc� on with Aqua Nor 2021, was selected by the jury for this year’s awards: Kjell Maroni, R&D Director, Aquaculture with
FHF; Jan Henrik Sandberg, Senior Advisor in The Fishermens Associa� on; and Oddvar Staulen, Financial advisor in Innova� on.
Above: VAKI Density Control Left top: Noras Global’s lifebuoy, U Safe Left: SeaRAS Aquasense
