Norwegian installation could become a giant leap forward for salmon farming if the technology proves successful

Cermaq, BioSort and Scale AQ’s third version of iFarm has been installed in Norway. This small step could become a giant leap for salmon farming if the technology proves successful.

Facial recognition tools are used in criminal investigations or when tagging people on social media, but over the past few years, they have also been appearing in aquaculture. In January 2020, Norwegian fish farmer Cermaq and the technology firms BioSort with support from ScaleAQ formally launched the first version of iFarm, a system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in facial recognition software to improve the management and oversight of salmon farming.

Three years on, and iFarm’s third version has been installed in pens at Hellarvika, a Cermaq farm in Steigen. Version Three will mostly focus on sensors, data collection, machine learning, and further development of the fish sorting mechanism. Sensors will retrieve high-quality images and follow up key parameters such as fish ID, lice, growth and welfare.