Scottish firm wins innovation award at Aqua Nor

The company, which was short-listed along with two Norwegian innovators, was given the award for its in-line fish stunner, which knocks out fish just metres from the holding pen, allowing more humane slaughter  and less potential damage to the product. The system is flexible and can also be used for crustaceans and even shellfish.

Managing director Nathan Pyne-Carter, who picked up a cheque for NOK100,000, as well as a painting, said the win would raise the company's profile as it looked to expand.

He revealed that Ace Aquatec was opening offices in Canada and Chile, and also had representation in Australia and New Zealand.

Scottish Sea Farms

Pyne-Carter paid tribute to Scottish Sea Farms for helping develop the stunner, and said Ace Aquatec was also working on a sea lice solution, again with the close cooperation of Scottish Sea Farms.

He said: "We're very pleased, overwhelmed, to have won this award. It's going to be fantastic to raise the profile of a Scottish company. We have had a lot of interest from companies who have collaborated with us. We wanted to especially single out Scottish Sea Farms, who have helped us since 2012 develop the technology behind the system.

"Also our partners. Without these collaborators I'm sure we wouldn't have won this award."

Ace Aquatec supplies its technology around the world, with installations in Germany, Zimbabwe, Japan, Maine, Canada, Russia, as well as Scotland.

Its fish stunner system comprises three to five electrodes and connected switching electronics capable of rendering the fish unconscious within one second, without damage to the flesh.

“It is believed that the system has the potential to transform welfare and efficiencies in aquaculture and mariculture worldwide for fish and crustaceans,” the Aqua Nor jury said.

The other Aqua Nor finalists were OptoScale of Trondheim, which has developed a system for biomass measuring with an accuracy of 99 per cent, and Planktonic, also of Trondheim, which has developed an innovative live feed for marine juveniles. This includes a method for harvesting large amounts of animal plankton in the ocean, which is then cryopreserved.

The organisers of Aqua Nor, the Nor-Fishing Foundation, said they had received a record total of 28 applications for this year’s award from companies in 14 countries, including Norway. This represents a 64 per cent increase compared to Aqua Nor 2015.