April 13, 2023

Innovasea launches new waterborne feeding system for fish pens

Innovasea has launched FlowFeeder, a new waterborne feeding system designed to reduce pellet damage and uses less electricity compared to conventional air-blown feeders in fish farms, The Fish Site reported.

Langley Gace, senior vice-president of Innovasea, said FlowFeeder delivers feed at depths where fish prefer to congregate, rather than blowing feed pellets onto the surface above the fish pen, where they can drift away,

Gace said this results in less waste and higher feed conversion ratios, which are critical to the profitability of any fish farm.

FlowFeeder can feed multiple pens from a single, central location. It combines feed pellets and water in the feed vessel before transporting the mixture to the pens.

Innovasea said the waterborne delivery system requires less power than air-blown systems and can save up to 50% on energy costs, with farms that use diesel generators to power their feeding operations reducing their carbon footprint as a result. Waterborne delivery also reduces damage to feed pellets, which are frequently fractured when air compressors blow through pipes.

Gace said air-blown systems are messy and leave a lot of dust and oily feed residue in the pipes, which necessitates regular cleanings, raises operational and maintenance costs, and increase feed vessel downtime.

Innovasea said FlowFeeder has a proprietary feed dispenser that can be placed at the optimal feeding depth for the species and distributes pellets more evenly throughout the pen.

FlowFeeder allows farm operators to feed even when there are heavy waves, strong currents, or surface threats such as harmful algal blooms or sea lice because the feed pellets are delivered at depth. This not only protects fish stocks, but it also significantly reduces the number of lost feed days, which helps keep growth targets on track.

-      The Fish Site