Using technology from Scantrol and Deep Vision, Norwegian company Ava Ocean will start a project later this year that will seek to sustainably harvest scallops from the Barents Sea.
With scallop dredging on the Norwegian seabed prohibited for the past 30 years because of its damaging effects on marine ecosystems, Ava Ocean has been working since 2016 to reopen the fishery through new gentle and selective harvesting methods.
Several years of testing, research and development together with SINTEF and the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research have resulted in new patented technology for documented sustainable harvesting methods for the seabed. With Ava Ocean’s innovative approach to scallop harvesting, shells can be identified, selected, and sorted without destroying the surrounding flora and fauna.
“It was important for Ava Ocean to connect with the most experienced and preferred control systems suppliers for this unique catch operation. We already knew Scantrol and trust their high-quality products. The collaboration with Scantrol and Deep Vision was established early in the process,” Ava Ocean CEO Øystein Tvedt said.
Scantrol Managing Director Helge Hammersland explained that Ava Ocean challenged the Norwegian electronics manufacturer to make a control system that combines Active Heave Compensation (AHC), Trawl Control and Deep Vision catch identification.
“We have had the pleasure to play a central role in this pioneering project,” Hammersland said.
The two scallop harvesters are controlled by Scantrol’s standardised solution for monitoring and control together with mTrack AHC Controller.
The harvesters will also use Deep Vision cameras to take images and videos of the seabed. All images will be used for scientific purpose in a project directed by SINTEF.
“Our goal is that the Deep Vision software will make it possible to automatically recognise scallops on the seafloor by help of images and machine learning,” said Hege Hammersland, Business Development Manager at Scantrol Deep Vision.
The combined control system will be used on Ava Ocean’s vessel, Arctic Pearl.
“The patented technology will initially be used onboard the Arctic Pearl, but the potential for this technology is global, and also for other species on the seabed,” said Bjørn Roppen, Head of Subsea Projects and Deliveries.
