ASHLEIGH CURRIE: FiiZK: applying robust, innovative and reliable solutions to fish farming

FiiZK: applying robust, innovative and reliable solutions to fish farming

Ashleigh Currie

FiiZK is the result of the recent merger of Norwegian companies focusing on the fish farming industry. Our product portfolio spans closed and semi-closed cages at sea, bespoke software solutions and consultancy services, to tarpaulins for land- and sea-based farming. We have recently launched recycling facilities to commit to the sustainable use of materials and protect the environment.

We aim to combine software solutions and farming equipment to improve the functionality of our products to the advantage of the fish farmers.

“We have so far been doing business in the UK from Norway and are excited to establish a permanent business in the UK and Ireland. And are leveraging on our experience as the market leader in Norway whilst doing so,” explains FiiZK CMO Kevin Skarholt.

Business Development Manager/Fish Welfare (R&D), Ashleigh Currie, says: “I am confident that FiiZK is the right company to provide the fish farming industry with innovative, robust and reliable product solutions that will help overcome major production challenges faced in these markets. And I look forward to working closely with producers to facilitate these changes in farming strategies.”

At FiiZK, we have been expanding our workforce to hire some of the best minds and skillsets. As a result, we provide top-level solutions with over 130 employees based on the farmers’ requirements in our extensive client portfolio.

Ashleigh, a marine scientist and former fish health and welfare manager for Scottish Sea Farms Ltd, helps to drive our research and product development with valuable knowledge and experience on welfare-related topics and site dynamics, in addition to feedback from farmers and production managers from our key partners including Cermaq, Lerøy and SinkabergHansen.

certuS cloSed cage techNology

Now is an exciting time for FiiZK’s closed cage technology with clients in Norway and Canada using our Certus range (15,000 to 30,000 m3) of semi-closed containment systems (S-CCS) and our Certus Harvest holding cage (up to 700-tonne capacity).

Our systems development has been ongoing for the past ten years and is in commercial use for the last five years. The main development aims of the S-CCS has been to reduce the time fish spend at sea, or in some cases, to grow postsmolt fish to harvest size (80g to 5kg).

Our cages have also been used successfully to hold broodstock fish (5kg to 16kg) in their final sea phase.

Certus Harvest is our patented holding cage for fish awaiting processing that provides optimal conditions for harvestsized fish and protects the surrounding environment from any biosecurity risks. The cages are available for delivery in sizes adapted to the processing plant and existing waiting cage facilities.

Compared to land-based RAS systems, which have high capital expenditure and operational costs, the sea-based S-CCS provides a reliable and economical solution for the industry.

The large, floating S-CCS replenish seawater within the cage pumped from deeper depths (>20 m) to reduce the entry of unwanted sea lice and sustain optimal water quality to protect fish within and outside of the cage.

When it comes to protecting the external marine environment, fish faeces can be collected and removed from the system for processing as fertiliser or biofuel. In addition, the cage environment is monitored continuously by a sensor network for essential water quality parameters,

SinkabergHansen Certus 15000

including oxygen, pH, salinity, temperature, and turbidity.

We work closely with our clients and support the scientists wherever we can to build knowledge and aim for continual development to ensure that our products safeguard the health and welfare of the fish.

digital SolutioNS

FiiZK Digital has over 20 years of experience in the development and production of digital solutions for aquaculture. With industry-leading expertise in technology, cybernetics, economics and biology, we can offer our costumers’ industry-specific solutions and high-quality software and services.

Around 42% of the salmon produced in Norway is supported by our FiiZK Horizon products that focus on planning, finance and optimisation from egg to harvest to get the best production plan based on stock, site and risk management.

We also provide an analytics service that utilises our extensive knowledge in aquaculture and combines this with powerful software tools, modelling and optimisation to provide our customers with a one-off service or a continuous consulting package under FiiZK Analytics. We are currently developing a production control software that allows all aspects of farming to be registered with a transparent role-based user management system. This year our FiiZK Ctrl software will go live with our key development partner Lerøy Seafood Group ASA.

techNical tarpauliNS

FiiZK now has four factories/ service stations and a recycling unit, FiiZK 360, situated in Norway. Our most recently acquired factory in Bergen resulted from a successful merger with NWP (also a leader in the supply of tarpaulins to the aquaculture sector).

Our employees have extensive knowledge and broad experience, especially in PVC welding, which means we can offer the market’s best and most effective products: lice skirts, freshwater depots, treatment tarps, and disinfection tarps.

We have improved our existing products and developed new solutions in freshwater storage, closed cage technology and lice skirts. In addition, a strong relationship with our customers enables us to carry out development projects to ensure we provide the best and most sustainable products thoroughly tested in challenging conditions.

f360

FiiZK 360 is our concept and system for recycling plastic, focusing on sustainability and the environment based on targets set in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

We document the entire life cycle of the materials used in our products – including import, production, downstream with reuse and recycling, and transportation.

“We need to paint a realistic picture of how we can contribute to reducing our carbon footprint and CO2 emissions by using local supply chains and an increased level of recycling”, states project manager Petter Haug Jensen, who has been key in establishing FiiZK’s recycling stations.

The solution also helps raise awareness about the importance of circular economy by pledging material reused in our production. Therefore, the material we choose is crucial in ensuring that the product can be recycled rather than discarded. We are also committed to providing materials that maximise the lifespan of a product under specific external conditions.

For more information on any of our products and services, you can visit our webpage www.FiiZK.com or contact: Ashleigh Currie Business Development Manager/Fish Health (R&D) UK and Ireland Tel: +44 (0)7898 798 528 Email: ashleigh.currie@fiizk.com