A GLASGOW start-up is leading a consortium of research partners in developing a satellite surveillance and data gathering system that provides an early warning system for problems on fish farms and other aquaculture sites.
The group has been awarded a £250,000 funding package to “revolutionise the collection, interpretation, and use of data on fish farms” with the development of the new digital platform that will enable actionable insights.
Led by R3-IoT, a fledgeling satellite communications business, the group will develop a software system that automatically captures large volumes of continuous sensor data across aquaculture sites securely in one place, where it can be processed, stored, and actioned.
The digital platform will be developed in parallel with R3-IoT’s satellite communications solution, which it says brings seamless connectivity to remote and rural areas, enabling organisations to fully digitise their business operations across multiple sites and locations.
The project is funded by the Seafood Innovation Fund, with support from the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC); Northern Light, the aquaculture consultancy; The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data science and AI; CENSIS, Scotland’s innovation centre for sensing, imaging systems, and Internet of Things technologies; Edinburgh Napier University; the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture; and the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO).
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It said Covid-19 has accelerated a number of trends across the aquaculture sector, primarily the need for timely access to information, ranging from environmental metrics like oxygen, temperature, and salinity, to operational datapoints such as wave height and strength.
R3-IoT’s platform will automate the collection of data from a range of sensing technologies already in place, allowing fish farms to use this information to remotely manage their operations more efficiently.
Once developed, the new digital platform will allow organisations to regularly share environmental and operational data with regulators, supply chain companies, researchers and other stakeholders to enhance efficiency and transparency, while reducing risks and associated costs.
It could also be used in forestry, agriculture, and other sectors with a remote or rural aspect.
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Allan Cannon, chief executive and co-founder of R3-IoT, said the consortium brings together a wide range of expertise.
“Aquaculture has ambitious plans to deliver sustainable growth and data can be a key enabler for the sector,” he said. “But having data is only the first step, you also have to unlock its potential, which is what the digital platform we are developing through this project will deliver.
“The technology will help fish farmers understand operations across different sites and locations wherever they are, providing them with increased visibility, improved quality of, and access to timely information. It will also allow them to remotely and quickly respond to data-driven insights to improve business performance.
“The concept behind our data platform has been informed by the research we conducted as part of the initial feasibility study, interviewing more than 30 senior members of the fish farming sector – it will closely reflect what the sector has told us it needs. We have a great consortium working on this project, taking in a range of expertise and skills, and – having demonstrated the high reliability of the platform during a trial with a major salmon producer – we believe the results could be very high-impact.”
Heather Jones, SAIC chief executive, said it “could bring another level of intelligence to aquaculture, allowing site teams to understand conditions on site even if they are working remotely”.
Bill Buchanan, Professor at Edinburgh Napier University, said a key challenge in the field is obtaining relevant information. “We need to build systems of the future which are data-driven and which support new ways to providing intelligence for our traditional industries,” he said.
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