Sea-CAP closed contained aquaculture pen (RD109)

Aim:

Sea-CAP will be a new floating contained marine farm to grow salmon in the optimum environment. The project aims to focus particularly on control of water quality, exclusion of external biological factors which can impact on fish health and preventing pollution from faeces and waste feed.

Funding Amount:

£190,000

Duration of Project:

TBC

Project Outcome:

The project aimed to develop a prototype design for a new floating closed contained marine fish farm, which would:

  1. Allow the internal environment (water quality) to be controlled, while preventing escapes.
  2. Reduce the environmental impact through:
    • Removing the requirement for chemical treatments by excluding water-borne diseases, e.g. algae, sea lice, jellyfish and predators; and
    • Preventing pollution of the seabed by capturing the waste for removal and treatment.
  3. Provide health and safety benefits through operational efficiencies within a controlled working environment.
  4. Use a unique mooring system, which requires only 5% of the seabed lease area to grow an equivalent biomass.
  5. Be easily customised to suit the needs of different species, locations, environmental conditions, and individual fish farmer preferences.

This has been achieved through engagement with an industry steering group to ensure that all avenues were considered and incorporated within the design. The innovation is now ready to develop the detailed design for site specific conditions, and on to construction of the prototype to allow proof of concept to be demonstrated.

STATUS: Completed

Project Lead

Aqua Innovation Ltd