Cermaq has made a huge stride towards individual-based farming with the launch of its iFarm.
A sensor chamber will be able to recognise and register the number of fish, size of fish, number of sea lice and possible signs of diseases, while the computer vision will also able recognise each individual based on the dot pattern of the salmon.
The iFarm is a big technological leap in the development of cage farming.
Geir Molvik, Cermaq’s CEO, said: “There will be huge gains if growth can be channelled to the sites of the current type.”
“This growth strategy will preserve and strengthen Norway’s advantage as a salmon producer within the current site structure. iFarm will be a significant contribution to the solution of the challenges that aquaculture is currently facing.”
As each individual fish can be monitored, the iFarm can detect whether a fish stops growing, differs from previous growth rates or has an unexplained decline in conditions.
These symptoms can help detect when something is wrong with the fish, even if other conditions are normal within the conservation.
Mr Molvik continues: “This is a technological leap for the cage based salmon farming, where we shift from group-based operations to individual registration and treatment.”
“If we succeed with this, the growth vision can be realised within the inshore sites,” he concluded.
The iFarm sensor was developed by BioSort AS, where key personnel have background experience from Tomra’s recognition and sorting technology.
Further developments hope to lead to more applications and open new opportunities for the aquaculture industry.
