Fishing is one of the main occupations of people in India with more than 14 million Indians earning a living from it. The traditional way of fishing has been going on in India since time immemorial but with passing time and commendable technology and interventions, variety of applications can be made in this industry for enhancing productivity.
IoT and artificial intelligence improve wild fishing and land-based fish farms around the world. These technologies are assisting in guaranteeing global food security by ensuring that practices are both cost-effective and long-term.
Here are five ways that the Internet of Things is affecting aquaculture.
IoT & AI Applications in Aquaculture
Overfishing
Now, we have data from satellite photography, as well as drone and underwater IoT devices, to ensure the sustainability of our wild fish and seafood supply. This information can be gathered and used to track catches and enforce sustainable fishing standards. The same data can be used by large fishing organizations to help with traceability and supply chain transparency. Ultimately, this will assist the end-user in making more informed purchasing decisions.
Health & Welfare
A reduction in water quality or a disease epidemic (such as fish lice) can be disastrous, thus ensuring the health and wellbeing of fish farms is critical. Farmers can intervene before an outbreak begins and enhance fish welfare by using early detection. Smart fish farms can use IoT sensors to collect data on fish behaviour, water conditions, and physiology, which can be used to create AI models for early identification of less-than-ideal conditions.
Precision fishing
IoT devices and AI are assisting fisheries in optimizing where and when they fish, as well as there are sensors that identify fish and catch size and onboard cameras aid in sorting the catch. The data can also assist the wild fishing industry cut expenses by providing insights on how to cut fuel usage and enhance fleet maintenance using AI predictive maintenance. According to McKinsey, if large-scale fishing enterprises around the world adopt this concept, they may save $11 billion in annual operating costs.
Feed Optimization
With feed accounting for a considerable amount of operating costs and both under and overfeeding having severe consequences for fish health and size as well as water quality, feeding optimization can result in significant savings and benefits. Many smart fish farms, such as efishery, use feeders that rely on vibration and auditory cues to help with more accurate feeding. The use of technology in aquaculture management is also boosting efficiencies and reducing manpower demands, which is a significant financial and safety benefit for remote marine farms.
Harvest Enhancement
Using data to simulate a species' reproduction, growth, and maturation in combination with real-time data can assist farmers optimize rearing and prepare for the best harvesting time. To assist gain a premium return, complex models can be constructed to plan to harvest depending on the size of the fish, projected mortality, and the current market price.
