Page 42: of Marine Technology Magazine (September 2025)

Aquaculture

MTR 100 search, it could generate long-term datasets on phytoplankton

FP AQUA

FP AQUA develops underwater monitoring technologies for dynamics and biodiversity in Norwegian coastal waters. “The images we analyze daily for AI training reveal far the aquaculture industry, focusing on tools that provide ? sh more than just harmful species of interest,” says Zandra Maria farmers with real-time insight into biological risks for aqua-

Skandrup Sigvardt, lead biologist at FP Aqua. “We also detect culture, such as harmful jelly? sh and phytoplankton. Combin- ing imaging hardware with AI-driven analytics allows for the a wide variety of other taxa, including crustaceans, echino- potential to strengthen ? sh health, reduce risk, and improve derms, polychaetes, and marine snails. These ? ndings could sustainability in aquaculture operations by giving farmers provide valuable insights into ocean health, biodiversity, and long-term ecosystem monitoring.” time to act before damage occurs.

FP AQUA’s technology is currently being piloted with lead-

Their technology is an underwater microscope with integrat- ing salmon farmers. ed AI designed to detect jelly? sh and phytoplankton in aqua- culture facilities. Certain jelly? sh species can pose signi? cant

Ace Aquatec threats to farmed ? sh.

Ace Aquatec focuses on creating welfare-? rst products to

Unlike traditional monitoring tools, which rely on manual make ? sh farming and marine industries more ef? cient and water quality sampling, their system can capture high-resolu- tion images of microscopic organisms directly in the marine sustainable, backed by blue growth fund Aqua-Spark, Chro- environment, before they attach or go near the ? sh. AI then ma Ventures, deep tech fund Earth Capital, Stolt Ventures and analyzes these images in real time, detecting the presence of Scottish Enterprise.

Ace Aquatec’s A-BIOMASS is an underwater AI camera jelly? sh and even distinguishing between species.

“Designing a microscope for depths of up to 200 meters that transforms the way farmers monitor their ? sh. With mil- limeter accuracy, it provides real-time insights into ? sh bio- meant tackling saltwater corrosion, pressure and biofoul- ing,” explains Knud Poulsen, FP AQUA’s technical lead. mass measurements and distribution in a pen, and individual “We solved this with marine-grade aluminum housing, ? sh status and performance, avoiding the need for handling or quartz glass windows, and integrated UV-C illumination, a manual intervention which can cause stress.

Using stereoscopic imaging and advanced machine learn- germicidal wavelength that stops microorganisms from at- taching to the glass. This keeps the optics clear and extends ing, the A-BIOMASS can record tens of thousands of ? sh measurements daily, giving farmers access to precise, high- deployment time.”

While FP AQUA’s current focus is on the Atlantic salmon volume, quality data which helps optimize feed conversion, grading regimes and growth rates. sector, potential for the technology ranges. Beyond farm man-

It also helps farms effectively monitor ? sh welfare, pre- agement, it could contribute to the broader monitoring of Nor- vent mortalities, and provide transparency and traceability way’s coastal waters. From a regulatory perspective, the sys- tem may one day provide continuous documentation of events throughout the ? sh lifecycle. Developed for the harshest en- vironments, the marine grade system is lightweight at 8.5kg such as sea lice escapes from aquaculture sites, while for re- and easy to deploy.

Ace Aquatec’s Humane Stunner Universal (A-HSU) delivers a rapid, humane, stress-free and safe method of ? sh stunning, ensuring compliance with the highest welfare standards set by regulators and retailers.

FP AQUA develops monitoring tools for aquaculture.

Ace Aquatec’s

Humane Stunner

Universal (A-HSU).

Photo by Callum Stewart on Unsplash. Source: Ace Aquatec 42 September/October 2025

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