Jun 44 min read

Ellenex pH Sensors: Cultivating Energy Efficiency in Aquaculture & Fish Farming

With an global aquaculture production over 185 million tonnes of fishes, mariculture production is contributing over 40% of the total production.

Aquaculture has the most potential in supporting the future fish production across the globes, however its energy consumptions have been rising awareness where remote monitoring of fish farm is extremely important

The Rise of Aquaculture in the Global Fish Market

The global fish market has experienced a profound transformation in recent decades, marked notably by the rise of aquaculture. This evolution reflects not only changing consumer preferences but also the increasing challenges faced by traditional fisheries due to overfishing, environmental degradation, and regulatory constraints. Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic organisms, has emerged as a pivotal solution to meet the escalating demand for seafood while addressing sustainability concerns.

The aquaculture sector, involving the cultivation, nurturing, and gathering of fish, shellfish, algae, and diverse aquatic life across different aquatic habitats, holds significant importance in the realms of both global food provision and the preservation of biodiversity. It represents a swiftly expanding industry, assessed at $204 billion in 2020 and anticipated to attain a valuation of $262 billion by 2026, showcasing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6% from 2021 to 2026.

Particularly in recent years, the landscape of global aquaculture has witnessed a notable surge in mariculture production, constituting approximately 40% of the total aquaculture output. While shellfish and finfish cultivation has emerged as dominant forces, aquaculture exhibits remarkable diversity, as evidenced by the FAO FishStat database, which documents the cultivation of over 500 species on a global scale. However, aquaculture boasts higher initial sales values compared to traditional capture fisheries, its profitability and investment returns are significantly impacted by fluctuations in fuel and energy expenses.

The Energy Efficiency Challenge of Aquaculture & Mariculture

Aquaculture and Mariculture require accurate and timely monitoring and tracking of the salinity level and temperature to ensure the efficient productions

Sustainability stands as a pivotal consideration within aquaculture systems, aiming to yield seafood with reduced environmental impact while enhancing profitability. Advancements in sustainable aquaculture not only diminish reliance on wild fisheries but also foster a broader spectrum of aquatic species. Addressing the concurrent challenges posed by feed and energy demands, land and water utilisation, and shifting consumer preferences necessitates a holistic reevaluation of aquaculture production.

Especially in developing countries, aquaculture tends to exhibit higher levels of water and energy intensity, measured by water and energy consumption per unit of aquaculture production. For Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), the energy consumption index even varies from 2.9 ~ 81.48 kWh/kg of fish product! This heightened intensity is often attributed to inefficient farming techniques, low feed conversion ratios, and the cultivation of resource-intensive farmed species.

Energy consumption in aquaculture and capture fisheries, where industrial operations for land and water requirements and consumer preferences will be involved in rethinking aquaculture production with an integrated mindset — Energy consumption in aquaculture and capture fisheries

Water Treatment with Circulation & Aeration: Aquaculture facilities often require continuous water circulation and aeration to maintain adequate oxygen levels for aquatic life. Pumps and aerators consume significant amounts of energy, especially in systems with high stocking densities or where water quality needs to be closely monitored.

Daily transportation: Mariculture operations involves regular travel from the harbour to the installed cages across vast sea regions. The reliance on fossil fuels for such transportation adds another layer of complexity to the energy dynamics of these operations. Powered by fossil fuels, boats or vessels navigate the expanses of sea to reach the aquaculture sites, ferrying personnel, equipment, and supplies essential for daily maintenance and management tasks.

Fish processing: Substantial energy is necessary for processing various aquaculture products, encompassing tasks such as sorting, washing, chilling, skinning, gilling, gutting, filleting, shucking, salting, drying, preserving, or canning. The energy demand varies based on the species of seafood being processed and whether it is intended for fresh or frozen sale, along with additional activities such as storage and dispatching.

Temperature Control: Maintaining optimal water temperatures is crucial for the health and growth of farmed aquatic species. Heating or cooling systems may be employed, particularly in regions with extreme temperatures or seasonal variations, contributing to energy consumption.

Feeding Systems: Automated feeding systems are commonly used in aquaculture to provide nutrition to farmed fish or other aquatic organisms. These systems utilise extensive portions of the energy for operating feed dispensers, conveyors, or pneumatic systems.

The direct consumption of energy accompanies various processes within mariculture, including harvesting, transportation, juvenile collection or production, and general production operations. In mariculture, energy demands manifest through activities such as operating water pumps, aeration systems, lighting, ice production, refrigeration, transportation to farms, feeding machines, freezers, and air conditioning — Overview of Fish Production Process

Minimise your Energy Costs and Environmental Impacts: Ellenex IoT solutions

Ellenex provide scalable and robust IoT solutions for Aquaculture and fish farmings on a global scale,Ellenex Salinity Sensors are designed with the needs of the aquaculture industry in mind. These rugged, battery-operated sensors are built to withstand harsh industrial applications and are IP65 rated. With the integration of NB-IoT technology, Ellenex Salinity Sensors provide near real-time data transmission, allowing you to monitor and manage water quality remotely.

Recognising the consistent demand for precise and punctual measurements in the fishing farming sector, Ellenex has innovated and now provides durable, energy-efficient IoT solutions. These solutions enable remote monitoring of vital factors including water level, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH levels, and water temperature, ensuring comprehensive oversight of farming environments.

Utilising advanced LPWAN (Low-Power Wide Area Network) technologies such as LoRAWAN and Nb-IoT, we are dedicated to enhancing your industrial aquaculture operations. Our solutions offer real-time monitoring and remote access through intuitive software platforms and mobile applications, bring environmental precisions and energy efficient insights for your business. Without frequent and unnecessary travelling across your fish farm, we offer the most crucial informations at the tips of your finger in a pre-configured manner, undertake and resolve the complexity for you to adapt IoT technologies.

flyer of Ellenex IOT sensors that is capable of measuring salinity, temperature, DO and etc.

Efficient Water Quality Control: By leveraging IoT sensor data, operators can optimise the operation of pumps and aerators to match the actual oxygen demand of the aquatic life. Moreover, precise measurements in salinity and pH Level allow operators to make real-time adjustments to water treatment processes, further enhancing water quality control and overall efficiency in aquaculture operations.
Temperature Control: By integrating IoT sensor data with heating and cooling systems, operators can optimise temperature control strategies in both fish farming (i.e., to maintain optimal water temperatures for aquatic species) and processing operations (i.e., facilitate the required freezing tempature with minimum energy costs).