More meals to the table with autonomous fish feeding

Fish farmers have traditionally relied on their extensive experience and intuition when feeding. But at modern fish farms with over 200 000 salmon in a single pen, technological tools are needed to ensure precise and efficient feeding.

Current underwater monitoring solutions, however, have limited coverage, do not collect data or perform analysis, and are dependent on adequate light conditions and good water quality for decent visuals.

This can result in inefficient feeding , which in turn can lead to poor fish health, welfare and growth, and significant feed waste. It can also be a factor in biomass loss.

CageEye’s autonomous feeding solution, called Echofeeding, uses hydroacoustic sensors to provide a full overview of the underwater situation and monitor the behaviour of the entire fish biomass, independent of visibility conditions.

Advanced machine learning algorithms use this data to objectively measure fish appetite. The system then automatically controls and adjusts feeding to optimise production, ensuring that fish are only fed when they are hungry. While the computer figures out the optimal feeding, a human operator interacts with the system.

The Echofeeding hardware is an easy-to-install, plug-and-play system. It is suitable for remote operations and can be integrated with external feeding systems or existing camera systems. The system is self-cleaning, for minimal maintenance.

Precise, appetite-based feeding improves fish growth and fish health and welfare, leading to higher product quality and larger yields.

It also eliminates feed waste and related environmental impacts, helping to make aquaculture more sustainable.

Moreover, accurate feeding data makes it easier to evaluate and predict feeding practices, allowing fish farmers to further optimise their operations and increase their revenues.

The precision aquaculture market, including smart feeding systems, was estimated at USD 398 million in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 764 million by 2024.

CageEye’s Echofeeding solution is currently used by salmon producers in Canada, Chile, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway, including by three of the four largest Norwegian salmon farmers.

CageEye is a company in the Bluegrove group. An aquatech company, Bluegrove is in the process of expanding into new species and geographies with even higher economic potential.