Project that will ‘transform’ aquaculture underway

The two-year Precision Farming Technology for Aquaculture project “will combine cutting-edge research in sensing technologies, lasers, and artificial intelligence with practical, applied research to provide solutions to the aquaculture industry,” said Dr Chris Cornelisen, Cawthron Institute Coastal and Freshwater Group Manager and head of the project.

Research into efficient and cost-effective underwater communications also aims to unlock the future potential of untethered sensors, drones and robotics.

“There are unique challenges to farming in the ocean. Farms must be physically accessed by boat, with stock health and condition manually recorded. High costs and delicate equipment are barriers to implementing new technology; this project will innovate to reduce these obstacles,” the institute added.

The $2-million project has received funding from the Science for Technological Innovation (SfTI) National Science Challenge Board.