Features Research
Nano technology would prevent escapes and overfeeding

A European consortium is developing a micro capsule that could be implanted in fry to monitor feeding and escapes as the fish grows. The Norwegian-based company Aquafarmcontrol has received 1.8 million Euros to develop the idea in collaboration with companies and research institutions from five EU-countries.


         The biomass management solution is based on individual capsules that would be injected in each fish and allow for tracking, counting and immobilizing fish in case of escape. The capsules are tracked via pen-mounted sonars and integrated with GSM technology for immediate detection and activation.

Each ampoule has an ID that is unique to that fish. A sonar communicates with the electronics in the ampoule and monitors the movements of the fish. If something happens in the cage which allows the fish to escape, the ampoule will kill the fish at a given radius from the farm. The system, claim the inventors, would ensure that farmed salmon cannot affect wild salmon stocks in the rivers.

The technology also provides monitoring of fish on an individual level which would be useful for determining the correct amount of feed to use in each pen.

The capsule is designed to be removed when the salmon is harvested and is reusable. 

– Siri Elise Dybdal