May 11, 2021

Consortium to develop platform for collecting fish farm data in Scotland

A consortium of research partners has received £250,000 (US$347,229) to develop a digital platform that will collect and interpret fish farm data in Scotland, providing actionable insights for the industry.

Led by Glasgow-based satellite communications startup R3-IoT, the project will involve the group developing a software system that automatically captures large amounts of continuous sensor data across aquaculture sites in one place, where it can be processed, stored and acted upon.

The platform will be developed in parallel with R3-IoT's satellite communications solution.

The company's chief executive officer and co-founder, Allan Cannon, said the technology will help fish farmers understand operations across different sites and locations wherever they are. It would provide them with increased visibility, improved quality of and access to timely information.

"Aquaculture has ambitious plans to deliver sustainable growth and data can be a key enabler for the sector. 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," Cannon said.

The concept behind the data platform has been informed by the research R3-IoT conducted as part of an initial feasibility study, interviewing more than 30 senior members of the fish farming sector, Cannon added.

"It will closely reflect what the sector has told us it needs," Cannon said. "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."

The project is funded by the Seafood Innovation Fund, with support from other organisations and universities.

Once developed, the new platform will enable organisations to regularly share environmental and operational data with regulators, supply chain companies, researchers and other stakeholders to enhance efficiency and transparency, while also reducing risks and associated costs.

- SeafoodSource