A salmon farm in Quatsino Sound is using an experimental combination of technology to reduce interactions between farmed and wild fish.
Poseidon Ocean Systems has partnered with Mowi Canada West to install 15-metre-deep barrier shields, perimeter bubble curtains, oxygen systems, and real-time monitoring at the Monday Rock site. The physical and bubble barriers, along with the oxygen systems, will help the farm avoid naturally-occurring plankton blooms, low oxygen levels, and sea lice.
Rodrigo Cristi, Mowi’s technical manager, says salmon have been growing in the system for six months and so far their size and health look promising. He says the farm is only open to the ocean at the bottom.
“Three quarters of the farm’s enclosure is physically separated from the surrounding environment to a depth of 15 metres, so this technology developed by Poseidon is critical to allow us to create healthy living conditions within the space where we raise our salmon,” he says.
Matt Clarke, co-founder and CTO at Campbell River-based Poseidon, says the unique technology his company is contributing is tailor-made for the site and the sound’s unique ocean environment.
“Since our company was founded in 2015, Poseidon has been focused on bringing a science-based, aquaculture-specific approach to this challenge and the system now installed at Mowi’s farm site was developed by our engineers for this application,” he says. ” “Our company has been focused on developing our integrated technology platform which gives farmers more control over the farm environment; allowing for better control the conditions within the net pens, so that the farmers can more actively and positively affect the welfare of the fish they grow.”
The salmon at the site will be ready for harvest sometime next year.
