AKVA GROUP
30 years of Scottish Aquaculture
Supply and demand O
AKVA GROUP OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS
ver the last three dec- ades, AKVA group’s wide range of inno- vative products and technol- ogy has helped fish farming become the sustainable and environmentally considerate industry it is today. While still a young industry, aquacul- ture has come a very long way – as is demonstrated by some of the more significant product developments made by the AKVA group over the years.
The technology; economies of scale Over this period the produc- tion volume of the average farm has increased 20 times. There are fewer cages, but they are 300 times larger than they were initially. As a result, the stocking per cage has increased significantly. The durability of the equip- ment has also increased to accommodate farming in more exposed locations. The concept of plastic cages was invented by AKVA in 1974, with their innovative Polarcirkel design, and the company has since supplied over 40,000 plastic pens worldwide. Whereas the first pens were made from 225mm pipe and measured only 40- 70 metres in circumference, today’s cages are generally
current feed systems not only feed fish to fit their behaviour patterns, but also provide a platform to enable the control and integration of a variety of sensors designed to monitor the environment – ensuring both that no feed is wasted and that fish welfare is opti- mised.
These developments have led to the innovative design of Akvasmart feeding cameras and sensors. This monitor- ing equipment is an essential requirement in modern day aquaculture operations as it minimises feed conversion rates.
100 to 160 metres in circum- ference and are made from pipes up to 500mm wide. AKVA group’s popular Wave- master Steel Cages were first produced in Ireland in 1985, and 10,000 steel cages have since been delivered globally. Thanks to a continuous focus on, and dedication to, research and development,
today’s cages both contain the fish securely and provide a safe working platform for the more exposed locations we farm in. Combined with AKVA group’s Econets, the cages are virtually escape and predator- proof.
The demand for support- ing technology inevitably accompanied the increasing farm sizes. AKVA’s founder, Ole Molaug, invented the first computerised central feed system in 1980. His son Knut, who is now the group’s CEO started as a service techni- cian and helped develop the systems of today.
The original systems bear little resemblance to the sophisticated feed systems of today, and have been devel- oped to deal with the changes from wet to dry feed diets. The
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The first Idema Net Cleaners were developed with a single 30cm head in 1997. Today the 7-head cleaners reflect the increase in the cage sizes and the importance that is placed in keeping nets clean in a sustainable way – without the use of anti-foulants. The modern Wavemaster Feed Barges also reflect the rapid development of the industry. Barges now have a maximum capacity of 600 tonnes, coupled with modern office and living accommoda- tion. AKVA group (Maritech) de- veloped the first software so- lutions in 1978. The seafood system was run on an office computer and created simple batch certificates for fish-buy- ers in Norway. Today, Fishtalk is used by most Norwegian aquaculture and fishery companies; tes- timony to the fact that AKVA offers aquaculture software solutions that are second to none. Fishtalk covers all the
The cages are virtually escape and predator proof
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