In this project, a fish transfer system will be developed which takes advantage of Atlantic salmon’s natural behaviours to reduce stress during transfer processes, ultimately improving fish welfare and reducing aquaculture costs.
£300,000
18 months
East Coast Innovation (ECI) developed a purpose-built fish loading device aimed at improving fish welfare by minimising biomass density, thereby reducing stress and injury associated with the transfer process. The patent-pending SmoothMove fish loading device (formerly referred to as Voluntary Swim-In) is designed to decrease the stress Atlantic salmon experience when being pumped from one container (e.g. fish pen) to another (e.g. harvest or treatment vessel). By understanding and utilising the salmon’s natural behavioural instincts relative to the water current in their design of the SmoothMove, ECI was able to create an environment where fish swim comfortably around and into the SmoothMove fish loading device and are quickly transferred without the need for high density crowding in the waiting population.
This project demonstrated that it is possible to transfer fish at a low biomass density while maintaining a high transfer rate. Fish that are transferred with the SmoothMove naturally swim below the water surface, with no fins visible above the surface. This is in contrast to when fish are transferred using a traditional funnel, where stressed swimming behaviour due to higher crowding is more prevalent. The reduction in fish density using the SmoothMove system reduces stress and significantly improves fish welfare. This benefits the fish population, the producer, and ultimately the end customer. Improved animal welfare is linked to lower mortalities, improved yields, reduced costs and enhanced product quality.
East Coast Innovation Inc.