The three finalists for this year’s Nor-Fishing Foundation Innovation Award have been selected by a panel of judges.
Out of the nine applications received, the finalists were whittled down to; Marine Research Institute (MRI), Scantrol Deep Vision AS, and Selfa Arctic AS.
The jury consisted of Jan Henrik Sandberg of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association, Oddvar Staulen of Innovation Norway, and Kjell Maroni of the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund.
Marine Research Institute (MRI), Bergen, has been nominated for its project where catch control is tested through different adaptions to the net of the so-called 'Danish seine'.
The objective is to catch only the amount of fish that the vessel is licenced to catch and has the capacity to handle. This is important to the fishermen as well as fish buyers in terms of quality and price, health, environment and safety considerations.
Scantrol Deep Vision AS, Bergen, is developing an alternative and supplemental method for monitoring the catch by the use of stereographic pictures from the trawl. A 3D modelling of the fish gives the possibility of determining the species and length, which in turn allows species sorting in the trawl. This aims to produce a more efficient catch from the point of view of market price, quota control and reduced bycatch.
Finally, Selfa Arctic AS, Sandtorg, has developed an electrically propelled fishing vessel in cooperation with Siemens/Trondheim and with Corvus in Canada.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority has participated in order to develop a new set of regulations to authorise such vessels. The energy use is expected reduced by up to 60% compared to diesel vessels and operations are silent without vibration, exhaust or particle emissions.
Chairman of the board, Liv Holmefjord, said she was happy with the quality of this year’s applications, and was looking forward to seeing Per Sandberg, minister of fisheries, present the award to the winners at the opening of Nor-Fishing 2016.
