Ace Aquatec aiming to stun trade show with technology
Dundee-based Ace Aquatec will return to Aqua Nor in Norway later this month with updated options for its in-water fish stunner, the Humane Stunner Universal (HSU), that won the Innovation Award at the event four years ago.
The difficulties caused to international travel by the Covid-19 pandemic earlier this year mean that the aquaculture tech supplier is one of only three UK companies to have booked space at Aqua Nor, the world’s biggest aquaculture trade show, which takes place from August 24-27.
Ace Aquatec will be represented by its Norway-based Northern Europe regional manager, Preben Imset Matre, and other members of its Norway team.
Humane culling
The company’s managing director, Nathan Pyne-Carter, picked up a cheque for NOK 100,00 after the HSU was chosen for the Innovation Award at Aqua Nor in 2017.
The HSU reduces stress on fish and crustaceans by rendering them unconscious in water before they are slaughtered. The device “has the potential to transform welfare and efficiencies in aquaculture and mariculture worldwide”, the Innovation Award jury said.
Ace Aquatec has refined its technology and now offers two versions of the stunner and two humane culling devices based on the same principle.
One stunner is for large fish such as salmon, trout and yellowtail kingfish, and the other is a boat-mounted stunner for sea bream and seabass.
By-catch
The company’s humane cull systems are for aquaculture by-catch such as cleaner fish caught up in salmon harvests and wild fish caught in salmon pens, and for excess and poorly performing smolts and juvenile fish.
The company is also at final trial stage with two new products to add to the HSU processing system. One is the Ace Ejector Pump uses only gentle water flow – with no propellors or vacuum – to guide the fish towards the electric stunner.
The other is the Ace Waterjet Bleeder which relies on automated high-precision jets of water and a robotic arm, instead of traditional physical blades, to cut and bleed the fish effectively when the fish exit the stunner.
Biomass camera
Ace Aquatec will also be promoting its biomass camera, currently on trial at four Scottish salmon on farms and due for commercial launch in November.
The system has been designed with stereoscopic imaging, 3D time of flight imaging, and multifrequency sonar imaging, all of which can work in isolation or combination to overcome different environmental conditions.
The system provides precise readings on the weight of fish, enables exact timing on when to harvest fish, helps prevent feed wastage and can be an early indicator of disease and sea lice levels, claims the company.
Fast-tracked R&D
“The pandemic has allowed us to fast- track our research and development and streamline our product processes,” said Pyne-Carter in a press release. “Those attending Aqua Nor will get a clear insight into what we do and where we’re heading as well meeting our Norwegian team in person.”
“Aqua Nor is such an important date in the aquaculture calendar, so we’re looking forward to being able to showcase all the latest solutions and breakthrough developments we’ve been working on,” said Matre.
As well as attending the physical event, Ace Aquatec is taking part in a virtual Aqua Nor event being run at the same time.
The UK companies taking part in the virtual event only are Aqualife Services, Gael Force Group, Moredun Scientific, the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), Scottish Development International, Vita Aqua Feeds (World Feeds Ltd) and Xelect Ltd.
