Climate changes drive the aquaculture industry to search for new technology

- Climate change is affecting ocean ecosystems in several dimensions, concluded Monica Favnebøe Solberg as she addressed a broad audience at a meeting conducted by the cluster NCE Seafood Innovation. She is research professor and head of the Pathogen Transmission and Disease research group at Havforskningsinstituttet, The Institute of marine research.

A long coastline, with vast sea areas and excellent water exchange, gives Norway a truly unique advantage when it comes to sea-based food production. Norwegian farmed salmon is exported to over 100 countries. Every day, 22 million meals with Norwegian salmon are served worldwide. To keep this position, innovation is key to the aquaculture sector.

Increasingly challenging

Solberg documented how the ocean temperature has increased in the areas where Norwegian aquaculture is operating. The overall challenge from rising sea temperatures is a change in metabolism for the fish, but also for virus, bacteria and parasites. Warmer waters favour pathogens and invasive species, increasing disease risks in farmed stocks.

- For instance, the industry challenge with lice and parasites and disease will increase. New solutions to both monitor, control and prevent parasites are vital to secure a profitable and sustainable future growth in the industry, Monica Favnebøe Solberg said.

She also pointed to how increased CO₂ absorption lowers pH levels, weakening shell-forming organisms and affecting food chains. Also. warmer waters hold less oxygen, leading to “dead zones” where marine life struggles to survive.

Climate changes also cause storms and floods the forces the industry to investigate new locations for aquaculture operations.

Summary of climate changes and business opportunities created. Source: Invest in Vestland.  

Improved production control

The aquaculture industry is constantly changing to adapt to climate-driven changes. This is opening business opportunities for suppliers to this segment.

The immediate response to the effects of changing temperature is improved and more efficient production control - water quality monitoring and automation. Sensors for measuring pH, oxygen, and temperature, combined with AI analytics, help farmers react quickly to environmental changes.

Another important business area is health and disease management. New vaccines, biocontrol agents, and early pathogen detection systems can reduce mortality from climate-driven disease outbreaks. The industry is also spending a lot of effort researching selective breeding and genetics. Genetic tools like CRISPR and genomic selection enable climate-resilient strains. Also, suppliers can provide broodstock resistant to heat, acidification, and disease.

Technology is also constantly being adapted to new locations. Pens for offshore locations or land based and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) reduce vulnerability to coastal heatwaves and storms. For all facilities, advanced filtration and aeration equipment can mitigate deoxygenation risks.

Feed is key

One area where innovation is needed, are resilient feed solutions. Feed accounts for more than 80% of the emissions per unit of salmon and 46% of the production costs. Innovative and new feed ingredients are critical to comply with regulations and global sustainability goals.

Algae-based or insect-based feeds reduce reliance on wild-caught fish meal, which may become less available due to climate stress. Another opportunity that is being explored is probiotics and functional feeds to boost immunity in fish under stressful conditions.

The Norwegian aquaculture industry is ready to exploit their competitive advantages and, through technological and biological efforts, produce more seafood in a more sustainable manner. Can your business fill a gap in the value chain? Don’t hesitate to contact us if we can connect you to the Vestland aquaculture community.  

Bergen is home to the world leading seafood cluster NCE Seafood Innovastion, dedicated to facilitate and initiate new partnerships. Insightful lunch meetings are important activities.