February 27, 2025

Ace Aquatec to launch humane trout-stunning system in Canada

Dundee, Scotland, UK-based aquaculture technology company Ace Aquatec has announced it will launch a humane trout-stunning system – the A-HSU skid-mounted in-water electric trout stunner – at the 2025 Ontario Aquaculture conference in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada on February 27.

The company brought the humane stunner to North America in response to more stringent welfare recommendations recently published by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness (OMAFA).

The system includes a stun table which pumps and recirculates water, bringing fish up and exposing them to an in-water electric current that renders them insensible. Fish are not left to struggle out of the water but, rather, rendered unconscious before they are exposed to air.

One farmer who adopted the programme early, Arlen Taylor, the director of operations at Ontario land-based trout hatchery Cedar Crest, said that the stunner made good business sense and was also "the right thing to do."

"Fish are stunned instantly and humanely, reducing stress, and improving overall product quality," Taylor said. "As the industry moves toward higher welfare standards, having a proven technology that can be adapted to the needs of Canadian producers gives them confidence that they're meeting best practices."

Ace Aquatec head of sales Ben Perry called the new stunner a "significant milestone for Ace Aquatec and a major step forward for humane aquaculture practices in the region."

"The industry is increasingly prioritising fish welfare, and our technology provides a solution that meets these high standards while enhancing operational efficiency and employee safety for farmers,z" Perry said. "Showcasing this system at the Ontario Aquaculture conference is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate how we can help producers achieve high-quality fish while adhering to strict welfare requirements."

The system is the first of its kind to be skid-mountable, which, the company said, means "its portability and usability across a range of terrain, lake or pond side, is greatly improved." It also complies with regulations set by Canada's National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) code of practice for farmed salmonids and can process up to 15 tonnes of trout per hour.

- SeafoodSource