Finalists named for Aqua Nor Innovation Award
The jury for the prestigious Innovation Award presented at the world’s biggest aquaculture trade fair, Aqua Nor, have announced the three finalists.
Iceland-based VAKI, part of MSD Animal Health, has been shortlisted for the Density Control component of its SmartFlow system. The Density Control solution maintains a consistent and pre-set ratio of live fish and water during the fish handling process. The regulator thins out the flow if the volume of fish in the hose surpasses a certain density.
A Portuguese firm and a Norwegian company complete the shortlist.
Joystick
Noras Global SA has developed a unique self-powered lifebuoy – U-Safe - that is remotely controlled by a joystick to quickly reach a person in danger. The person holds on to the buoy and can be brought to safety. The buoy has two effective turbine motors and is symmetrical, to ensure it works efficiently regardless of how it lands in the sea.
SeaRAS Aquasense from Searas AS is a new method for measuring and monitoring water parameters and especially low values of H2S (hydrogen sulphide) in fish farms and tanks in wellboats. Values for H2S in water can be registered down to 0.05 micrograms/litre.
Alarms can be set to go off when the level of H2S reaches the levels set by the authorities. SeaRAS Aquasense is installed in many recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) farms. Measurements are done on new wellboats to control levels of H2S in tanks before live fish are pumped on board and during transport/treatment. This ensures safe quality water for the fish.
No hat-trick
The selection of the final three means there will be no UK hat-trick of wins at Aqua Nor. UK-based Benchmark won the 2019 award for its CleanTreat filtration system that removes chemical residues from lice treatment water, and Dundee-based Ace Aquatec won in 2017 for its Humane Stunner Universal that stuns fish and crustaceans while they are still in the water awaiting slaughter.
The organisers of Aqua Nor recently announced that the biennial event will take place in Trondheim, although the travel restrictions and uncertainty resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic mean some overseas companies that have exhibited there in the past have opted to take in Aqua Nor’s complementary virtual event instead.
