Unintentional bycatches can be critical for fish stocks and marine wildlife, and in fisheries also for business, where it reduces the value of the catch.  

In the fishery for Norway pout an innovative project led by the Danish Pelagic Producers Organisation (DPPO) has resulted in the development of a new safe and selective gear that not only minimises the risk of accidental bycatches of other fish and marine wildlife, but also provides for a much safer working conditions on deck, lower CO2 emissions and not least secures higher catches of the Norway pout fishers are targeting.  

Known as the Excluder, the advanced trawl insert comprises an outer net and an inner selection tube, with an escape panel that allows fish and other unintentional catches to swim out of the trawl unharmed.  

Excluder minimizes risk of accidental bycatches, reduces fishing effort, impact on marine environment and CO2 emissions

Tests are now underway in other pelagic and demersal fisheries, and several scientific projects have been initiated to further develop the technology and tailor to the challenges faced in those fisheries. These include minimizing the risk of accidental bycatches of marine mammals. 

The Excluder is the outcome of a collaboration between DPPO, scientists at the Technical University of Denmark, trawl makers at Egersund Tor-MoTrawl and the crew of fishing vessel Themis S144. Denmark’s Green Development and Demonstration Programme funded the project. 

Aquaculture has huge potential to feed the world’s growing population. The challenge is to grow aquaculture production sustainably without compromising on the environment. 

A Danish collaborative project – Inno-Tek – came up with two practical treatment technologies aimed at decoupling the growth of land-based fish farms from environmental impact caused by nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter emissions. The project ran from 2021-23.

The first solution was the use of flocculating bacteria to reduce nitrogen levels in end-of-pipe water, fast and efficiently. Using this technology, the nitrogen removal process can be reduced from 17 hours to just four. 

Secondly, the project developed a solution that draws on biodegradable flocculants and lignocellulose components to produce a much drier waste product. This makes waste streams easier and less expensive to transport and more suitable for reuse in energy production or as a fertiliser. 

Together, the cleaning solutions allowed the reactor used for nitrogen removal to be significantly reduced in size, while the dry matter content of waste was increased from five percent to 50 percent.  

The Inno-Tek project received funding from the Danish marine and fisheries development program, which supports the EU goals of intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth. The partners were DTU Aqua, Alumichem, Alpha Aqua, Dansk Akvakultur, Danforel and AquaCircle.

Fish quotas and regulations on bycatch give fishers many good reasons for wanting to know more about the fish they are catching in the trawl. By moving from a blind operation to precision fishing, they can improve their ability to catch only the desired species and size and reduce their environmental impact as well as CO2 emissions. 

Research at the Technical University of Denmark’s AQUA department (DTU Aqua) has developed new technology to help them on the way.

 

Based on this innovation, fishing with trawl no longer has to be a blind process. Fishers are kept informed about the commercial viability and sustainability of the fish in each fishing ground   

 

The first revolutionary step was the development of the first ever sediment dampening system, consisting of a sheet of tarpaulin mounted at the front of the trawl. This simple and effective system reduces the sediment swirled up by the trawl’s movement to allow a clear camera view for monitoring, measuring and recording the catch. 

Attracting great international interest, the sediment dampener has initiated further development of catch monitoring systems. In cooperation with the Danish company Atlas Maridan, DTU Aqua has designed a cable-based trawl camera system which shows the catch in real time.  

Now, for the first time, it has become possible to follow the species entering the fishing gear and keep track of where they were caught. 

Danish company Landia was the first-choice supplier when an integrated waste management facility (IWMF) on Scotland’s Isle of Lewis needed a strong solution for handling salmon waste. 

Creed IWMF had seen an opportunity in a logistical challenge – the remote location of aquaculture production sites all over the Scottish highlands and islands. Due to the difficulties in collecting and treating the fish waste, all of it went to landfill. Now they wanted to use it in an anaerobic digestion plant for biogas production.  

But first they needed the right equipment – an ensiling tank for pre-treating the waste and a pasteuriser to meet local animal by-product regulations, which require the waste to be treated for at least one hour at 70°C. It all needed to fit into a very tight space. 

Landia was able to deliver. With almost 90 years of experience in tailoring energy-efficient machinery, the company had all the right credentials to supply an ensiling tank to blend the salmon waste into a smooth puree and a pasteuriser that met local regulations. 

The Landia solution is now processing 7 tons of salmon trimmings per shift at the facility   

The pasteurised fish waste – a 7 cubic ton batch per shift – is now integrated with household food waste and garden waste for Creed’s anaerobic digestion process, making a positive environmental and economic impact by not sending it to landfill or having it transported off the island. And it is contributing to the renewable power supply for the island community.

Between 2017 and 2022 835.66 tonnes of salmon waste for the biogas plant was processed.

Marine ingredients are a fantastic source of nutrition for farm-grown fish. But, if you ask one of the world leaders in high-performance feed for the aquaculture industry, the search for novel ingredients to advance innovation and sustainability is ongoing.

This is why Danish BioMar was first to introduce the microalgae product AlgaPrime™ DHA as a sustainable alternative to marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids for use in fish feed.

The goal is to reduce the so-called Fish in – Fish out ratio, which refers to the volume of live fish required to produce enough fishmeal or fish oil to grow a unit of farmed seafood. At the same time, BioMar wants to ensure that feed for aquaculture does not compete with food supply chains for human consumption.

The first commercial feeds containing microalgae hit the markets in 2016, and by 2021 BioMar had reached one million tonnes of salmon feeds containing microalgae

As a natural source of omega fatty acids, microalgae are an obvious alternative. It is from these microalgae that fish and fish oil actually obtain their content of omega fatty acids in the first place. In other words, by formulating feed mixes with microalgae, it is possible to skip the ‘middle fish’.

Using BioMar feed mixes with AlgaPrime™ DHA, fish farms can reduce their dependence on wild fish stocks, lowering the environmental impact of their production and helping to keep more nutrients in the value chain.

The transition to more sustainable fish feed is well underway, as the first commercially available feed mix with microalgae was launched in 2016. Today, microalgae is no longer a niche ingredient – but a commercially viable choice.

A Danish manufacturer of lamella pumps uses tested technology to protect the environment and generate revenue by utilising waste from fish and shellfish processing.  

For years, JS Proputec has designed, produced and delivered pump solutions worldwide to handle waste and by-products. With their proven separation efficiency, the pumps are ideal for separating oil from the solids in seafood waste. 

The pumps are part of the system that handles and transports seafood products during processing. 

As raw materials are kept in a closed pipe system, the pumps improve hygiene while reducing odours. This capability and their compact design also mean they can replace screw conveyors, progressive cavity pumps, pressure tanks and conveyor belts.  

Additional advantages include lower energy and maintenance costs, higher capacity and fully automatic operation – reducing labour costs and the risk of injuries. 

From an environmental perspective, the use of fish waste ensures potential pollutant, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are not released into the ocean, where they can have a negative impact on marine life   

Instead, the resulting value creation contributes to food security by providing a sustainable source of protein for animal feed. It can also help sustain the industry and support local economies where fishing is a main source of income.  

From an environmental perspective, the use of fish waste ensures potential pollutants, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are not released into the ocean, where they can have a negative impact on marine life.  

Manual cleaning and gutting of fish is an exhausting, repetitive task for factory workers. With an automated fish gutting machine from the Danish company Carsoe, fisheries can improve working conditions for their staff while improving efficiency and capacity. 

Carsoe’s KM Mark 7 fish gutting machine is made for installation on board fishing vessels or in land-based fish factories. By increasing capacity and automating cleaning, the KM Mark 7 machine substantially enhances the fish gutting process. 

With a capacity of up to 60 fish a minute depending on fish size it can do the work of three to five operators  

The machine is characterized by an ergonomic design with height adjustable legs and smaller depth resulting in operators being able to stand closer to the machine which creates better working positions. 

Gutting length is easy to adjust while the KM Mark 7 is in operation – a feature that enables a continuous flow of fish through the thorough gutting and cleaning process, which also stands out for its low water consumption. On fishing vessels, it is valued for its space-saving design. 

Today the machine is trusted all over the world for gutting whitefish species to a high hygienic standard. Cod, saithe, hake, haddock, whiting, Alaska pollock, red cod, blue cod, southern hake, merluza, southern blue whiting and hoki are among them. 

Effective and rapid freezing of bulk and block seafood products is a must in the fishing industry. As global demand for seafood grows, traditional, non-contact freezing methods as they fall short on quality, energy efficiency and speed.

The Danish company DSI Dantech aims to meet the needed change by transforming the industry and creating cutting-edge products that benefit the environment and the customer’s budget. 

The world’s first one-stop supplier of mechanical, cryogenic and plate freezing technology, DSI Dantech delivers customised freezing solutions to processing plants and fishing vessels. Each solution is designed to freeze large quantities of fish and shellfish rapidly and consistently.  

Plate freezing has revolutionised the process with its short freezing cycle, which cuts freezing time from 18 to 36 hours to as little as two to four hours 

Applicable to bulk and packaged seafood in cartons and trays, plate freezing can be tailored to optimise the utilisation rate and minimise waste – improving profits in the process.  

Rapid freezing also prevents shrinkage and reduces enzyme activity, which can lead to biochemical and microbial changes with an impact on seafood quality. So, when the products are prepared for consumption, their appearance, aroma, taste and nutritional content are all intact. 

DSI Dantech’s range of high-tech products includes vertical plate freezers, horizontal freezers and customised automation solutions for high safety and hygiene and reduced handling. 

Even tiny changes in oxygen levels can have a negative impact in aquaculture. Fish can lose their lives in a matter of seconds, causing massive waste of resources and severe economic consequences for the fish farmer.  

The Danish company OxyGuard International has more than 35 years of experience in providing high-quality equipment for fish farmers in more than 120 countries. Their solutions cover everything from land-based aquaculture to fish transportation and offshore installations.  

OxyGuard expects the data-driven management tool to reduce feed use by 5-10%, enable traceability and provide farmers with detailed documentation of production performance

Over several years, OxyGuard has worked with fish farmers to co-develop a revolutionary, cloud-based management system called Cobália. It is designed for operations of all sizes, from the small pond farmer using a handheld oxygen meter connected to a smart phone to the biggest farms where large volumes of data are gathered from numerous sensors. 

Cobália gathers all data and presents it to the user in a way that enables a swift reaction when things start to go wrong – whether there is a problem with oxygen saturation, pH, water level or something else.  

In this way, farmers can avoid expensive and wasteful scenarios, such as a reduction in feed efficiency, high energy consumption or even fish mortality.  

Bottom trawling accounts for almost a quarter of global wild fish landings. Using conventional trawling methods means a substantially negative impact on the seabed – a problem one Danish company has tried to resolve. 

Thyborøn Trawldoors has long experience in tailoring trawldoors to the needs of pelagic, semi-pelagic and bottom fishing all over the world. One of their solutions – the Thyboron type 32 Bluestream remote-control trawl door – could be the future for fishers who struggle with bottom contact when trawling. 

The doors are fitted with an electronic device which is connected to the bridge either by hydrophones on the bottom of the vessel or by a wi-fi solution. Precision position control enables fishers to continue fishing as normal. The only change is that the trawldoors are positioned so there is little or no contact with the seabed.

This small adjustment prevents disruption of sensitive eco-systems and reduces fuel consumption at the same time

Using the specially designed trawldoors, it can support fisher’s opportunity of obtaining and maintaining Marine Stewardship Council certification.