Periodic Reporting for period 3 - NetWave (Smart System for the Prevention of Biofouling on Aquaculture NETs by Ultrasonic Wave Technology)
Período documentado: 2023-03-01 hasta 2023-08-31
Aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry aimed at providing a sustainable protein source for the growing global population. However, offshore aquaculture faces a significant challenge: biofouling. This problem results in restricted water exchange, heightened disease risk, reduced product quality and quantity, and damage to cages. Managing biofouling is expensive and represents a significant portion of fish farming production costs.
The NetWave project, funded by EU-H2020, aims to create a cutting-edge antifouling system using ultrasonic waves. This system is chemical-free, requires no human intervention, and is safe for all farmed species. Its goal is to enhance aquafarmers' production efficiency and bolster the aquaculture industry's resilience to environmental challenges by preventing biofouling. Special attention is given to ensuring the system's safety for all farmed species. This innovative solution aligns with various European aquaculture objectives, including improving product quality, ensuring consumer health and safety, fostering innovative technology, promoting sustainable production, respecting the environment, managing knowledge, and enhancing animal health and welfare.
The innovation in the NetWave product is its connected, cost-effective, and user-friendly system, which can prevent up to 95% of micro-fouling on fish nets. NetWave collaborates with actual offshore aquaculture farms and marine biologists to find the optimal power and ultrasound frequency levels for an effective anti-fouling system that doesn't harm important farmed species.
The NetWave project comprises nine work packages and operates from September 2020 to August 2023. It involves a consortium of two SME partners from Turkey and France, along with one research organization from Germany. The project's aim is to develop a science-based, innovative system that effectively prevents algae accumulation on fish nets using ultrasonic waves. Importantly, this system ensures no adverse effects on fish growth, feeding behavior, or health.
The NetWave project, funded by EU-H2020, aims to create a cutting-edge antifouling system using ultrasonic waves. This system is chemical-free, requires no human intervention, and is safe for all farmed species. Its goal is to enhance aquafarmers' production efficiency and bolster the aquaculture industry's resilience to environmental challenges by preventing biofouling. Special attention is given to ensuring the system's safety for all farmed species. This innovative solution aligns with various European aquaculture objectives, including improving product quality, ensuring consumer health and safety, fostering innovative technology, promoting sustainable production, respecting the environment, managing knowledge, and enhancing animal health and welfare.
The innovation in the NetWave product is its connected, cost-effective, and user-friendly system, which can prevent up to 95% of micro-fouling on fish nets. NetWave collaborates with actual offshore aquaculture farms and marine biologists to find the optimal power and ultrasound frequency levels for an effective anti-fouling system that doesn't harm important farmed species.
The NetWave project comprises nine work packages and operates from September 2020 to August 2023. It involves a consortium of two SME partners from Turkey and France, along with one research organization from Germany. The project's aim is to develop a science-based, innovative system that effectively prevents algae accumulation on fish nets using ultrasonic waves. Importantly, this system ensures no adverse effects on fish growth, feeding behavior, or health.
During the first 15 months of the project:A trial was conducted to test the impact of different frequencies on biofilm formation in mini-cages (diameter: 3 m, depth: 5 m) without fish. This allowed improvements to be made in terms of transducer position. This stage also helped measure the in field energy consumption values showing optimization was necessary to optimize the energy consumption for the sake of lower environmental impact and shorter ROI terms for a future product.
A one-month trial with fish in a 20m diameter, 8m deep cage aimed to test algae growth near transducers and their effectiveness in preventing biofouling. The fish exhibited no stress response during ultrasound use, but improvements in system setup were identified.
A three-month full-scale test in a 30m diameter, 20m deep cage with a higher stocking density involved the standardized application of ultrasound in operational offshore fish farms. Fish displayed no stress response during ultrasound use. The trial identified necessary improvements for system installation, transducer registration, and remote control access for system analysis.
In the second project phase (M16-M30), various work packages were finalized to create and evaluate an ultrasound-based anti-fouling system. WP1 focused on conducting effectiveness studies through field tests and large-scale trials to determine the safe use of ultrasound. High-frequency transducers proved most effective in preventing fouling, and fish did not exhibit stress responses during ultrasound application. AWI was responsible for biological field and lab studies for D1.1 and D1.2.
In the second phase of the project, WP2 focused on small-scale production and assessing alternative power sources. WP3 aimed to enhance the control box for offshore use and reduce power consumption, while WP4 developed a self-contained Netwave system consists of floating platform solar power units. Work Packages 5, 6, and 7 concentrated on preparing Netwave for commercialization, including manufacturing, documentation, sourcing agreements, and fish farm trials to evaluate its performance in a commercial context.
NetWave made notable enhancements in its dissemination efforts, boosting its online visibility through the creation of a Twitter account and a YouTube channel. The project actively participated in events to showcase the system and its outcomes, and it established partnerships with industry leaders to further enhance the system.
During the project's third phase (Month 31 - 36), significant efforts were directed towards validating the NetWave system, which utilizes ultrasound for cage antifouling. This phase primarily focused on commercialization, cost reduction, supply chain overview, and securing additional certifications that confirm the system's harmlessness to farmed fish. As a result, 11 market-ready units were successfully manufactured and tested, and extensive dissemination and communication activities were carried out to maximize project visibility. Ethical considerations for fish sampling and ultrasound application were taken into account, providing valuable support for the aquaculture industry's safe operational planning. The NetWave project concluded in August 2023, making a noteworthy contribution to biofouling prevention in aquaculture through ultrasound technology. Efforts continue to demonstrate system performance and secure partnerships for market-ready products.
A one-month trial with fish in a 20m diameter, 8m deep cage aimed to test algae growth near transducers and their effectiveness in preventing biofouling. The fish exhibited no stress response during ultrasound use, but improvements in system setup were identified.
A three-month full-scale test in a 30m diameter, 20m deep cage with a higher stocking density involved the standardized application of ultrasound in operational offshore fish farms. Fish displayed no stress response during ultrasound use. The trial identified necessary improvements for system installation, transducer registration, and remote control access for system analysis.
In the second project phase (M16-M30), various work packages were finalized to create and evaluate an ultrasound-based anti-fouling system. WP1 focused on conducting effectiveness studies through field tests and large-scale trials to determine the safe use of ultrasound. High-frequency transducers proved most effective in preventing fouling, and fish did not exhibit stress responses during ultrasound application. AWI was responsible for biological field and lab studies for D1.1 and D1.2.
In the second phase of the project, WP2 focused on small-scale production and assessing alternative power sources. WP3 aimed to enhance the control box for offshore use and reduce power consumption, while WP4 developed a self-contained Netwave system consists of floating platform solar power units. Work Packages 5, 6, and 7 concentrated on preparing Netwave for commercialization, including manufacturing, documentation, sourcing agreements, and fish farm trials to evaluate its performance in a commercial context.
NetWave made notable enhancements in its dissemination efforts, boosting its online visibility through the creation of a Twitter account and a YouTube channel. The project actively participated in events to showcase the system and its outcomes, and it established partnerships with industry leaders to further enhance the system.
During the project's third phase (Month 31 - 36), significant efforts were directed towards validating the NetWave system, which utilizes ultrasound for cage antifouling. This phase primarily focused on commercialization, cost reduction, supply chain overview, and securing additional certifications that confirm the system's harmlessness to farmed fish. As a result, 11 market-ready units were successfully manufactured and tested, and extensive dissemination and communication activities were carried out to maximize project visibility. Ethical considerations for fish sampling and ultrasound application were taken into account, providing valuable support for the aquaculture industry's safe operational planning. The NetWave project concluded in August 2023, making a noteworthy contribution to biofouling prevention in aquaculture through ultrasound technology. Efforts continue to demonstrate system performance and secure partnerships for market-ready products.
The project has made progress beyond the state of the art in Ethical and Technical aspects. In terms of expected impact, NetWave aims to benefit society in various ways, including:
Sustainable Production: NetWave will enhance automation, monitoring, and analysis to improve aquaculture operation efficiency, increasing productivity, reducing costs, facilitating maintenance, and improving animal welfare and environmental sustainability.
Global Sustainable Development: The export of NetWave technology will boost European aquaculture production and EU positioning, while sharing knowledge and expertise with other continents facing similar challenges.
Knowledge and Innovation Management: The entire supply chain will benefit from the technology's development, with plans to hire a skilled workforce and provide training.
Animal Welfare: NetWave technology is safe for marine wildlife and replaces stressful techniques, reducing fish escapes, deaths, and growth issues due to stress.
The NetWave project conducted field tests to optimize device settings without harming farmed fish. The collected data confirmed the settings' harmlessness and effectiveness. Collaboration with stakeholders and comprehensive documentation ensured compliance with industry standards. Training and ongoing monitoring were planned for product commercialization. The project aimed to enhance aquaculture sustainability and provide scientific and technical insights for future applications and research, benefiting the aquaculture industry's environmental and economic aspects.
Sustainable Production: NetWave will enhance automation, monitoring, and analysis to improve aquaculture operation efficiency, increasing productivity, reducing costs, facilitating maintenance, and improving animal welfare and environmental sustainability.
Global Sustainable Development: The export of NetWave technology will boost European aquaculture production and EU positioning, while sharing knowledge and expertise with other continents facing similar challenges.
Knowledge and Innovation Management: The entire supply chain will benefit from the technology's development, with plans to hire a skilled workforce and provide training.
Animal Welfare: NetWave technology is safe for marine wildlife and replaces stressful techniques, reducing fish escapes, deaths, and growth issues due to stress.
The NetWave project conducted field tests to optimize device settings without harming farmed fish. The collected data confirmed the settings' harmlessness and effectiveness. Collaboration with stakeholders and comprehensive documentation ensured compliance with industry standards. Training and ongoing monitoring were planned for product commercialization. The project aimed to enhance aquaculture sustainability and provide scientific and technical insights for future applications and research, benefiting the aquaculture industry's environmental and economic aspects.