Aquaculture also known as aquafarming is the world’s fastest-growing food industry. The rise in demand for protein and the ever-increasing human population accounts for the growth of the aquaculture industry. According to Allied Market Research, the 5 major aquaculture market is expected to reach $87.6 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2018 to 2025. The 5 major aquaculture markets are the U.S.A, Europe, China, Russia, and Japan.
Although the beginning of aquaculture
was 4000 years ago, the industry is still young and growing. It has much to
learn from livestock farming and tackle several challenges such as disease
control, low-impact production, feeds, and nutrition. However, advanced
technology has extended a helping hand. The emergence of the Internet of Things
(IoT) has opened lucrative opportunities to improve efficiency and maintain the
health of aquatic organisms. Along with IoT, here are 5 major innovations that are
on the verge to disrupt the aquaculture industry.
1.
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs)
The advent of ROVs is most advantageous
as it can offer visibility below water and monitor fish farms without involving
humans. In addition, ROVs can perform a variety of tasks that demand a skilled
workforce and expensive protective underwater gear. With the help of ROVs,
farmers can inspect the net quickly and without leaving their desks. It takes
around 30 minutes to capture 270-degree video for the top to bottom net
inspection. Moreover, side-facing cameras enable lateral inspections with ease.
2.
Robotic Cages for Fish Farming
The most common concerns for fish
farmers are parasites and diseases. Both of these problems occur due to the cramped
condition of fish farms. This leads to lower yields, high maintenance costs,
and production costs. On the other hand, fish farming in autonomous roaming robotic
cages, named aquapods, could be the next-big-thing in aquaculture.
While such robotic cages demand high
investment costs, the technology proves to be cost-saving in the future. The
aquapods can grow fish in the open sea and robots can examine and–if
necessary–repair nets, offering a safer and efficient way of fish farming and
operation management. What’s more, Rolls Royce has already entered the
aquaculture market and stated that cargo ships can be more efficient and
cleaner for shipping.
3.
Drones to Take Dive
Similar to robots, drones can be used
to do our human’s job. Monitoring offshore fish farms demand certain risks for
humans and not to mention skilled labour. However, drones can replace expensive
human intervention and can dive multiple times underwater for net inspection
and monitoring the health of fish farms.
Currently, several companies have
entered the market to enable an analysis of fish farms through the use of
sensor technology. Furthermore, drones can offer live video streaming for
farmers to inspect the health of aqua organisms without taking any risks. While
drones offer the necessary data, technologies such as big data analysis can
help recognize patterns and alert farmers regarding maintenance beforehand. Fish
stock analysis and environmental analysis can help recognize risks before it
damages the entire farm.
4.
Sensors for Sustainable Fish Farming
The technological advancements in
sensors have opened several opportunities in fish farming. The above-mentioned
drones and robots demand advanced sensors for not only capturing videos but
also for underwater navigation, water pH data collection, and collection of
several data including oxygen level, salinity, pollutants, and turbidity.
Depending on the type of fish, farmers
must maintain the right pH, water temperature, and oxygen levels. Biosensors
can help to farm in an analysis of such parameters. In addition, today’s
advanced sensors can help monitor heart rate and metabolism. With the help of
this data, farmers can easily create an ideal environment for their aquaculture
and get better yields.
One of the most advanced technologies
available in the market is eFishery, which helps monitor the hunger level of
fish and helps farmers to feed them accordingly. Such technologies can help
farmers take the necessary steps to improve the yield of their fish farms.
5.
Artificial Intelligence for Decision-making
While smart sensors gather vital data,
several companies are keen to leverage the power of artificial intelligence
(AI) for decision-making. What’s more, AI can help in predictive analysis and
offer improved data-based decision-making.
AI can help detect underwater pollution
and alert farmers before the environment harms aquaculture. This way, fish
farmers can send out robots to rectify the situation. While the current
technology demands slight human intervention, in the future, most of the
decisions will be carried out autonomously. The demand for sustainability has
increased over the years and the help of AI to reduce overexploited fish
species through data collection can help to implement sustainable harvesting
practices.
Apart from this, augmented reality (AR)
and virtual reality (VR) and blockchain have made their way into the aquaculture
industry. While the initial investment for these technologies is greater than
conventional practices, the help of technology can cut down maintenance costs
and improve yields in the long run.
Author
Bio
Swamini Kulkarni holds a bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation and control engineering from Pune University and works as a content writer at Allied Market Research. She is deeply fascinated by the impact of technology on human life and loves to talk about science and mythology. When she is not glued to the computer, she loves to read, travel and daydream about her areas of interest.
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