US aquaculture tech company Innovasea has introduced HydroAI, a new solution that combines high-resolution video cameras with AI-powered, cloud-based software to automatically provide accurate real-time fish counts and species identification in and around hydro-power plants.
HydroAI cameras integrate with existing fish passage infrastructure to capture images of fish around the clock. The AI-powered software uses machine learning to autonomously count and identify fish with a high degree of accuracy, providing valuable data about fish that are onsite, upstream and downstream of a hydro plant.
Empowered with accurate, comprehensive, real-time data about the fish in and around a dam, operators can react more quickly to dynamic conditions and make better operational decisions to ensure that fish pass safely through dam infrastructure.
The solution replaces the labour-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone processes of manually counting and identifying fish onsite or in video footage. The data is delivered to the cloud in real-time to facilitate data sharing and transparency between hydro dam operations and regulatory authorities.
“HydroAI is a breakthrough technology that solves key problems hydropower plants face every day,” Innovasea CEO David Kelly said. “With HydroAI, dam operators save valuable personnel time and get comprehensive, accurate data on fish activity, which enables them to improve environmental mitigation, comply with environmental regulations and potentially decrease unnecessary plant shutdowns.”
The solution is highly relevant for hydropower, tidal power and nuclear power plant settings, including those that are in remote locations or harsh environments where it is nearly impossible to manually monitor fish, Innovasea President Mark Jollymore said.
There are seven HydroAI systems installed across three Nova Scotia Power sites, and another Nova Scotia Power site installation is planned for fall 2024. A study regarding HydroAI’s success in the field has been published in the peer-reviewed journal, Frontiers in Marine Science.
Innovasea initially developed the technology behind HydroAI when it led a project called OceanAware under the auspices of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, which supports, develops and commercialises profitable and sustainable solutions for monitoring fish health, fish movement and ocean environments.
Building on the early success of the technology, Innovasea then launched the HydroAware project, a US$10.5 million R&D initiative that aims to improve aquatic animal research in dynamic water environments – the types of locations ideal for hydropower and tidal power.
