UK Seafood Innovation Fund Archives - Agri-EPI Centre

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Transformation of Scottish salmon production

Transformational innovation in aquaculture

Although significant progress has been made in recent years, current salmon production systems still encounter various challenges associated with “open water” production related to water quality, environmental pollution, and escapes. Additionally, threats of diseases, algae, sea lice, jellyfish and other predators persist as a result of unsecure perimeters.

Aqua Innovations, an SME based in Inverness, have secured funding via the UK Seafood Innovation Fund to undertake the detailed design stage of their flagship innovation concept ‘SeaCAP 6000’. Within the next couple of weeks, with the support of partners Agri-EPI, QED Naval, and Sterner Aquatech and an expert industry-led steering group, the innovative group will explore the feasibility of a transformational way of producing Salmon off the Scottish Coast.

The SeaCAP 6000, a new floating contained farm to grow salmon smolts to full harvest weight, will provide the optimum environment for the fish, with control of water quality, exclusion of external biological factors which can impact on fish health and will capture faeces and waste feed. The innovation is aligned with national agendas to supporting sustainable growth of the sector to double production and economic contribution by 2030.

Benefits over current salmon production systems

The main benefits of the closed contained marine farm are:

  • Control of water quality/internal environment
  • Exclusion of water-borne diseases, and algae, sea lice, jellyfish, and predators
  • Prevention of escapes
  • Capture of the waste for removal and treatment, preventing environmental pollution, and potentially recycling or re-use
  • H&S benefits and operational efficiencies within a controlled working environment
  • Durable, low maintenance, emptied and cleaned between crops
  • Unique mooring system which required only 5% of the seabed lease area to grow an equivalent biomass

Transformational innovation in aquaculture

Inventor of the SeaCAP Rodger Taylor is delighted that the potential of this technology has been recognised, after the concept has been in development for a number of years:

“Now that we have both the funding and the support of strong partners, we can take it a step closer to realisation”.

For Scotland-based Agri-EPI, this is an exciting opportunity to get involved with transformational innovation in aquaculture which aims to have an impact close to home.

Kasi McReddie, Business Development Manager for Aquaculture & Livestock says:

“We’re thrilled to be supporting Aqua Innovation on their journey to develop the SeaCAP 6000. Salmon producers face major challenges which may be overcome using technology to contain production – essentially eliminating outside threats and giving the farmer more control over their site. This collaborative approach to innovation is at the heart of Agri-EPI’s vision to support productive, sustainable and profitable food production.”

Design of technology prototype

In partnership with Sterner AquaTech and QED Naval, Aqua Innovation will be working on the detailed design of the prototype 6,000m3 closed contained farm to grow smolts from 100g to 1kg for on-growing in traditional sea cages. Agri-EPI will support the project by organising an industry-led expert steering group to ensure the innovation is developed in-line with the needs and challenges of those in the supply chain. Further support comes in the form of business development and knowledge exchange.

About the UK Seafood Innovation Fund

The UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports bold and ambitious tech-driven projects that will enable a step-change in the productivity and sustainability of the UK seafood sector. Administered by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports projects with a long-term vision to improve the UK seafood, fishing and aquaculture Industries. For more information about the Seafood Innovation Fund, please visit their twitter page.

Follow project progress

Be sure to follow Agri-EPI on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep abreast of the progress with this exciting project. To learn more and find out how you can get involved, please reach out to Kasi McReddie, Agri-EPI’s Business Development Manager Livestock & Aquaculture at kasi.mcreddie@agri-epicentre.com or learn about our industry impact around the globe.

New project explores innovative approach to salmon production

An innovative aquaculture project has been launched to prove the engineering for a new way of producing salmon off the Scottish coast that improves fish welfare and is more environmentally friendly.

Aqua InnovationInverness-based SME Aqua Innovation, with the support of several partners and an industry-led steering group, has secured funding via the UK Seafood Innovation Fund to undertake the detailed design stage of the ‘SeaCAP 6000’ – a new floating, contained 6,000m3 pen to grow salmon smolts to full harvest weight.

The SeaCAP 6000 aims to provide the optimum environment for the fish through controlled water quality and exclusion of external biological factors which can impact on fish health. Faeces and waste feed can be captured and disposed of safely.

Transforming UK Seafood industry

The innovation is aligned with national agendas to support sustainable growth of the sector to double production and economic contribution by 2030.

Rodger Taylor, the inventor of the SeaCAP said:

“Although significant progress has been made in recent years, current salmon farming still encounters various challenges associated with ‘open water’ production, related to water quality, environmental pollution, and fish escapes. The unsecured perimeters of current production systems also make the salmon vulnerable to disease, algae, sea lice, jellyfish and predators.

We believe the SeaCAP has the potential to transform both Scottish and global salmon production. It has been in development for a number of years and we’re delighted that its potential has been recognised.”

 

Aquaculture project funders

The funders of the SeaCAP 6000 Salmon Aquaculture project are Cefas, DEFRA and UK Seafood Innovation Fund

The project is funded by the UK Seafood Innovation Fund, which supports bold and ambitious tech-driven projects that will enable a step-change in the productivity and sustainability of the UK seafood sector. Administered by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the UK Seafood Innovation Fund supports projects with a long-term vision to improve the UK seafood, fishing and aquaculture industries.

Seafood innovation partners

SeaCAP 6000 Salmon Aquaculture Innovation partners | Agri-EPI, Aqua Innovation, Sterner AquaTech, Lloyds Register, QED Naval and Northern Light

Agri-EPI is supporting the project by organising an industry-led expert steering group to ensure the innovation is developed in-line with supply chain needs and challenges. Business Development Manager for Aquaculture & Livestock, Kasi McReddie, said:

“New technology can offer salmon producers solutions to major challenges by essentially eliminating outside threats and giving the farmer more control over their sites. This collaborative approach to innovation is at the heart of Agri-EPI’s vision to support productive, sustainable and profitable food production.”

QED Naval, responsible for the Naval Architecture and Hydrodynamics, said:

“We have had a long-standing relationship with Aqua Innovation and its associated company, Concrete Marine Solutions (CMS), we have a similar innovative approach to the manufacturing of large marine structures, which is the case of CMS is based on 40+ years of experience and ingenuity. We are delighted to be involved in the development of this innovative SeaCAP concept and help bring this revolutionary idea to the market where it can have a dramatic impact on fish wealth fare in an environmentally sensitive, and commercially viable way.”

Sterner AquaTech, who are designing the Water Quality and Life Support systems, said:

“Sterner are delighted to be continuing our involvement with this project having been working since 2019 on concept designs with Aqua Innovations. Our ethos has always been to seek to innovate and improve on our equipment and methods in the industry, and to be involved in a project such as this is a natural progression. Environmental pressures are only going to increase in our industry, and SeaCAP is a unique answer to many of those concerns and could be the model for sustainable farming in the near future.”

Another partner, Lloyds Register, will be undertaking validation of the design in a subsequent stage of the project, with consultants Northern Light providing project management and cost estimation.”

Transforming Scotland’s aquaculture industry

Increasing fish health, welfare and productivity

A partnership between Agri-EPI Centre and the world’s largest fish manual vaccination company, Stirling-based Aqualife, is set to help increase fish health, welfare and productivity in the aquaculture sector.

With support from Agri-EPI, Aqualife has won £250,000 funding from the Seafood Innovation Fund, awarded by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), to develop and launch a ‘transformational’ fish vaccinating robot by the end of next year.

The robot, named Incubot 2 will be able to vaccinate fish at sizes below 20 grams, as opposed to the common weight of between 30 and 120 grams, allowing producers to increase productivity by growing their fish out of hatcheries far sooner. It will be capable of vaccinating most species of farmed fish, in large numbers.

Incubot 2 will be a mobile platform, allowing Aqualife to offer automated vaccination to smaller fish farms which cannot afford to invest in large scale immobile systems.

The robot will also help to improve fish quality using artificial intelligence and ‘deep learning’ algorithms to increase vaccination accuracy and improve fish grading.

Aqualife Chief Executive, Gordon Jeffrey, said:

“The aquaculture industry in Scotland aims to double its economic contribution from an estimated £1.8 billion in 2016 to £3.6 billion by 2030. To achieve this, it must develop solutions to reduce fish losses, most of which result from disease.

“Health and welfare issues have also attracted public attention. Aqualife wishes to play a key role in transforming the industry by embedding engineering excellence within our company to offer a range of truly innovative products and services. This grant ensures we will be able to do that.

“Agri-EPI Centre has played a key role in us winning this grant. From initially pointing us in the direction of the competition to hands on helping us to prepare the application, Phil and the Centre have been crucial.”

Agri-EPI Project Manager, Phil Cassidy, said:

“Agri-EPI aims to stimulate collaboration and innovation to support sustainable food production and this project is a fine example of this. We look forward to managing the project to develop Inocubot 2.”

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Aqualife and AEC