Technology Advancements in Aquaculture

Aquaculture as a whole faces many challenges year over year. From climate change, which results in fish stocks moving away from historical breeding grounds, to the millions of people that consume fish on a daily basis which provides a healthy source of protein, the Aquaculture community is evolving and trying to stay ahead of the game at whatever means possible. Today, the fishing community is starting to lean more heavily on technology than ever before to help automate and soften the burden of working through pen and paper.

Although technology by itself cannot solve the global fishing crisis, it can be a transformational element for best practices and policies.  Under a sustainable approach where we satisfy the needs of the present and without compromising the resources of future generations, technological innovations offer an opportunity to improve management practices and seafood business. In the same breath, technology can also empower fishers by providing more information to consumers so that they can make more responsible seafood decisions.

For example, Alaska’s Cod fishery is a terrific example of how new technologies are helping the fishing industry become more sustainable, not to mention more efficient.  The cod fishery is testing an electronic monitoring system that connects with computer vision technology and machine learning to help avoid overfishing specific species of fish which can often be high value species in the region.

Technology can also help consumers make better decisions regarding what they eat.  For example, enterprises such as Bumble Bee Foods are able to provide information on when and where the Fairtrade tuna they are eating came from.  Bumble Bee uses a cloud service which allows the consumers to follow their tuna caught in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean from boat to plate.  This technology provides seafood companies with the ability to trace their products through the supply chain.  Consumers can scan QR codes with their smartphones and learn about the location of their tuna and the responsible practices that were developed by this fishery, allowing them to make better consumption decisions.

In Mexico, some seafood producers are giving consumers more information on what is on their plates.  Fishers are promoting traceability through a digital platform that tracks their vessels via satellite, sending information on where they are and what they are catching.

Technology also empowers smaller fishers generating information not just on fisheries, but on markets which will allow them to make better business decisions that demonstrates their commitment to ocean conservation.  For example, in the Gulf of California, Mexico, fishers and authorities have access to daily information on catches and prices thanks to a mobile app to help them gain that intelligence in real time.

At NineTwoThree Digital Ventures we are positive that harnessing the power of technological innovations under our approach to sustainable fishing will help to restore our oceans for years to come.  Not only can we empower our fishers through cutting edge technology but we can also better inform and educate the consumers on the products they are choosing.  If you have a need for custom development work in the form of a mobile application or web based application, please reach out.  We would be honored to learn about your pains and struggles and mapping out a solution that's tailored to your business needs.