Algae Detection System Aims to Help Aquaculture Bloom

The group – comprising of marine technology provider OTAQ, the Iain Fraser Cytometry Centre\r\n(IFCC) at the University of Aberdeen, the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation\r\nCentre (SAIC), and CENSIS (the Innovation Centre for sensor and\r\nimaging systems and Internet of Things technologies) – is creating a low-cost\r\nsensor system that can automatically sample, identify, and count specific\r\nmicroscopic organisms using imaging analysis. Algae and plankton build-up is a\r\nmajor issue in aquaculture – some types of the organisms are toxic to salmon\r\nand others, in large quantities, can cause fatal gill damage. Algal blooms, the\r\nrapid growth of algae, can occur when there are significant changes to\r\ntemperature, light, or nutrient conditions. In 2019, a particularly severe case\r\nin Norway led to the loss of a substantial number of fish.

Current methods used for monitoring plankton and algae\r\nnumbers are laborious, relying on readings manually taken once or twice per\r\nday. The results are also open to individual interpretation and error. Even\r\nsome of the more accurate approaches rely on expensive and high-maintenance\r\nequipment that only provide a snapshot of algal levels. Using microscope camera\r\ntechnology and a unique water sampling tool, OTAQ’s new system will use\r\nartificial intelligence (AI) deep learning to process images and provide a near\r\nreal-time reading for fish farmers. The producers can then take preventative\r\nmeasures, such as the activation of a ‘bubble curtain’ or barrier to protect a\r\nstretch of water or stop feeding salmon when necessary.

The system is expected to enhance fish wellbeing and better\r\nsafeguard stocks, improve the use of feed, as well as helping to make the\r\nentire water quality monitoring process more efficient and cost effective for\r\nproducers. OTAQ said several companies have already expressed an interest in\r\nthe new technology. Chris Hyde, chief commercial officer at OTAQ, said:\r\n“Plankton and algae are a significant problem for the aquaculture industry –\r\nsubstantial stocks of salmon have been lost in the past few years, from Norway\r\nto Chile, because of the issue. Early detection of harmful species of plankton\r\nand algae has been a sticking point and we’re looking to overcome that problem\r\nwith our new sensing technology, which will fundamentally automate the process\r\nand provide accurate information about plankton numbers 24 hours a day.

“The development of the sensors is the first step towards a\r\nmore comprehensive early-warning system. This is a strategically important\r\nproduct for us, which will offer salmon farms a better view of what’s happening\r\non their sites and extra data with which they can make decisions – many\r\nbusinesses have already said they need it. The involvement of two of Scotland’s\r\ninnovation centres and the University of Aberdeen has accelerated the\r\ndevelopment process significantly and provided us with the scientific grounding\r\nto produce accurate, actionable data.”

Dr Raif Yuecel, head of the Iain Fraser Cytometry Centre at\r\nthe University of Aberdeen, added: “Flow cytometry is a well-established and\r\nroutinely used quantitative technology to study phytoplankton and algae. The\r\nIain Fraser Cytometry Centre (IFCC) is a state-of-the-art cytometry facility\r\nand therefore is the ideal partner to collaborate with OTAQ on this exciting\r\nproject that will advance an essential aspect of marine science. Experts at the\r\ncentre will work to validate OTAQ’s AI system for accurate quantitative imaging\r\ndata and timely assessment of pathogenic marine species using in-house\r\ncutting-edge cytometry technology. We are proud to contribute to such an\r\ninnovative system and set the initial milestone for monitoring live pathogenic\r\nplanktons in fish farms.”

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Caroline Griffin, aquaculture innovation manager at SAIC,\r\nsaid: “This technology could prove a real breakthrough for aquaculture in all\r\nsalmon-producing countries, enhancing fish wellbeing and health by tackling one\r\nof the biggest threats to stocks. In Scotland, it could underpin the Scottish\r\nGovernment’s Farmed Fish Health Framework over the next decade. "It builds\r\non many of our previous projects around improving fish health and wellbeing,\r\nalong with reducing the industry’s environmental impact by adopting new\r\ntechnologies from other sectors and applying them to aquaculture.”

Source : The Fish Site