From initial first conversations, to carefully installing our Aquaculture monitoring systems in fisheries across the UK and Ireland, it’s been a busy year for our Aquaculture Specialist.
At a pivotal time in the Aquaculture industry, we wanted to give you a closer look at how we’re supporting our customers to streamline their aquaculture operations to strengthen fish health and enhance fish stocks across the UK and Ireland.
Join us for a day in the life of RS Aqua’s Aquaculture Specialist.
In the last year, we’ve been busy installing plenty of Aquaculture measuring systems across the Orkney Islands. Situated off the northeastern coast of Scotland, the Orkney Islands are a scattered archipelago where windswept landscapes meet ancient history and modern resilience.
The early communities relied heavily on the ocean for food, transport and trade. Today, the Orkney islands are home to many thriving fisheries who benefit from clean, nutrient rich waters that provide ideal conditions for healthy fish stocks.
What does a day in the life of an Aquaculture Specialist look like?
Blending science, sustainability, and hands-on care, our specialist plays a vital role in ensuring the health of our customers pens and the success of their operations. Whether troubleshooting equipment, collecting data, or providing technical training, each task supports a bigger mission: to responsibly produce high-quality fish stocks while protecting our marine environment.
The mission
The day begins bright and early, meeting the SSF (Scottish Sea Farms) site crew at Houton, the safety briefing soon began before sailing off to SSF Bringhead, a very remote part of the Orkney Islands situated under the east cliffs of the Isle of Hoy.
The installation
The first task was to power up the aquaHub, which is the information bridge between the sensors in the water and the software cloud. The Innovasea aquaHub has the flexibility to operate either on Wi-Fi, or on the cloud using a 4G SIM card.
Once the connection was established, the aquaHub is installed to existing infrastructure as directed by the site manager. A cabled hydrophone receiver is then attached to the hub and lowered on a rope into the water. The hydrophone will listen for signals from the sensors which are to be deployed around the farm.
More on our recent installations
We’re fortunate to have a specialist with close to a decade of industry experience, bringing a depth of knowledge that ensures our customers are always in capable hands.
Over the last year, installations across the Orkney Islands have been far and wide, taking place in Lober Rock, Shapinsay, Westerbister and now Scapa Flow, Bringhead and Toyness.
Q&A
What makes the Orkney Islands an interesting location for water quality monitoring?
The five sites we completed installations on are within Scapa Flow, a large, natural enclosed harbour. Realtime data is essential in modern fish farming but particularly in areas where environmental challenges such as plankton and low oxygen may persist as water exchange is limited.
Realtime data also enables neighbouring sites to alert water quality issues and enable better decision making. The outcomes will be improved welfare for the stock and better economic performance.
Why is there a need for installations at Aquaculture sites?
When salmon producers rent systems from RS Aqua, they are getting more than just the equipment and software access.
Customers receive full technical support, training and substitute devices if there are faults. If there is an area or site where a lot of new users are involved, we will visit to install the systems and train the staff.
We find that site staff get the best use of the equipment with in-person training but equally for us, it’s helpful to be around end users and hear about their challenges and wins. This information is vital for refining our existing tech and developing future products and services.
If you’re in the aquaculture industry and want to know more about our rental and support services, get in touch with us at info@rsaqua.co.uk.