With less than two months until the opening of Nor-Fishing 2024, the event has announced the three finalists for its Innovation Award, with the winner to be announced at the opening ceremony on Tuesday 20 August.
After processing and assessing the applications for the Stiftelsen Nor-Fishing’s Innovation Award, the jury nominated Mørenot Fisheries AS, Ava Ocean and Norseye AS as the three final candidates.
Mørenot Fisheries has developed a new tool for bottom trawling that significantly reduces the impact and damage on the seabed compared to traditional equipment. The Semicircular Ground Gear (SSG) invention lifts the trawl so that it flies/glides over the seabed, while at the same time reducing the possibility of the fish escaping under the trawl. The invention contributes to both increased fishing efficiency, reduced towing time, lower fuel consumption and reduced impact on the seabed. The concept has been tested in flume tanks, in full scale research fishing, and most recently also in commercial fishing with good results.
Ava Ocean has developed a new concept for harvesting shells and other organisms from the seabed, without negative impact on the seabed. The Ava Ray concept has undergone thorough testing in recent years and can document good results. It’s hoped the technology can contribute to reopening central fishing areas for commercial fishing by allowing operations to be carried out in a gentle way that do not damage the seabed and the environment. This, in turn, would enables access to large resources that are currently not being utilised.
Norseye has developed a safety management system for commercial vessels that includes digital and operational safety management. The innovation lies in the link between a digital, app-based security management system in combination with a 24/7 operated emergency centre offering professional assistance. With this product, Norseye says it addresses improved safety and preparedness at sea. The Norseye App makes available information that is critical in handling incidents such as key data about vessels, live information from relevant vessel sensors, emergency data from other vessels in the vicinity, as well as a staffed emergency centre that can support the shipping company in the event of incidents before their own organisation is established, and during the incident if desirable.
The Nor-Fishing awards jury consisted of Kari Lisbeth Fjørtoft from Hofseth International AS (formerly Møreforsking AS), Oddvar Staulen from Innovation Norway, Kjell Maroni from FHF and Jan Henrik Sandberg from The Norwegian Fishermen’s Association. The jury was led by Oddbjørn Rygvold Rødsten.
