Providing food security to the ever-growing global population is a formidable challenge and fish can play a major role in satisfying this demand. Marine protein consumption has already surpassed the until recently leading protein, beef, and is expected to keep growing by an increasingly prosperous global population that recognizes the health benefits of eating seafood. Demand is forecast to outstrip supply in coming years, wild catch is constantly decreasing and that leaves aquaculture to make up the shortfall. More than half the fish consumed around the world is already farm-grown either inland or in sheltered sites. By raising fish in farms, not only we increase the production volumes, but it also reduces pressure on the ocean fish and allows their population to rejuvenate. However, traditional farming practices overcrowd the fish, feed them massive amounts of antibiotics, and treat them with hormones and pesticides. This has a negative effect not only on the fish itself and as a result on the consumers, but also irreversible damages to the environment, destroying the seabed and marine life.
To overcome all these problems, the open ocean unused territories where the fish are in their optimal growing environment, are inevitably aquacultures next evolutional step.
GiliOcean Technology has developed a system designed for offshore conditions, that can submerge in harsh weather conditions, thus protecting both the fish and the system. Moving deep into the ocean allows us to protect the coasts with a long-term solution and no negative impact on the environment.
OCEANFISH aim was to finalize the development and start the commercialization of the various technologies necessary to transform Gili's existing SUBflex Classic systems to advanced open ocean systems improving growth rates, reducing ecological impact and providing the aquaculture industry with the tools necessary to meet the market demands.
Most technological developments have been completed and tested on a commercial scale in order to prove their commercial feasibility, bringing the company to a much higher level of technical knowledge. Beyond the proof of technological feasibility, we can see that the developments have indeed enhanced performance of the farm.
Taylor made to specific client needs or can be sold as stand-alone, the developed products have already drawn interest and attention from many potential stakeholders.
