Kiwi salmon farmer expands camera use after strong results with Scottish device

A New Zealand king salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) producer has begun using Scotland-based Ace Aquatec’s A-Biomass camera across more sites after successfully trialling the system for 18 months.

Mount Cook Alpine Salmon’s freshwater farms are located within a network of continuously flowing canals that connect three alpine lakes that support New Zealand’s largest renewable hydro scheme. The set-up creates a unique set of circumstances for the camera, but one it has been designed to handle.

The camera’s artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning training process allows Ace Aquatec to tackle some of the toughest environments, like glacial meltwater, low light conditions (starlight visibility) and a variety of fish types.

In a press release, Dundee-headquartered Ace Aquatec said the A-Biomass camera has achieved real-time millimetre accuracy, enabling Alpine Salmon to identify which fish to harvest whilst significantly minimising handling, thereby reducing stress for the fish and creating a safer and less labour-intensive environment for workers.

It added that the device is already improving efficacy for the salmon producer, which sells its products at home and abroad, with 97% accuracy averaged over multiple harvests over the last 18 months, and individual harvests as high as 99.75%.

The partnership marks a milestone moment for Ace Aquatec as other farmers in New Zealand now look to replicate the success of the A-Biomass system.

Tara McGregor-Woodhams, chief sales and marketing officer at Ace Aquatec, said: “Our partnership with Mount Cook Alpine Salmon reflects the global appeal of our products, as we bring Scottish-born technology to the other side of the planet. We’re already seeing that this installation is generating buzz around the benefits of the A-Biomass device, and we’re looking forward to expanding its presence in this region and worldwide.”

Jon Bailey, general manager at Mount Cook Alpine Salmon, said: “The advanced A-Biomass camera technology has consistently been very precise, with predictions aligning closely to our actual harvest rates and showing increased accuracy across multiple harvests over the past 18 months.

“Individual harvest results have significantly improved, and we hope to expand the use of these devices across more sites in the future to further optimise our operations.”