Scotland’s fish farm planning software in the spotlight in Chile

Computer software that allows salmon farmers to optimise production at their sites while safeguarding the environment will be showcased at AquaSur, the largest aquaculture trade show in the Southern Hemisphere, in Puerto Montt, Chile next week.

NewDEPOMOD is a particle-tracking modelling software, designed to predict dispersion of fish farm waste discharges in the marine environment.

It was developed by SAMS Enterprise, the commercial arm of Oban-based Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), working alongside the salmon farming sector and farm sites regulator the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). It is now prescribed, recommended, and used around the world, including in Chile, allowing farmers to calculate the optimal production levels at each farm site, while complying with regulatory standards.

20 years of progress

SAMS Enterprise staff will be on stand G-34 at AquaSur (March 19-21) to discuss how NewDEPOMOD has been developed over the past two decades and what the future holds for the technology. The team will be also available to meet on March 18 and 21 in Puerto Montt or Puerto Varas.

SAMS Enterprise business development manager Daniel Carcajona, whose native language is Spanish, said he was looking forward to meeting new and existing customers of NewDEPOMOD.

“AquaSur is an important event in global terms, so we are looking forward to making new connections in the Chilean aquaculture sector, as well as strengthening our ties with existing customers.

“We are proactively working with clients and collaborators globally to ensure NewDEPOMOD meets regulatory requirements and optimises production in various regions and countries.”

Optimum production

The software can play an important role in the sustainability and performance of a farm, allowing managers to assess optimum production, based on factors such as currents, fish biomass, and pen layout.

The range of licence holders for NewDEPOMOD comprises industry members, academic researchers, consultants, and regulators.

Dr Jirina Stehlkova, an environmental consultant and project manager at SAMS Enterprise, will also attend AquaSur.

She said: “I am pleased to have the opportunity to learn directly from users of the model how they benefit from it and what we can do to help improve their experience.

“NewDEPOMOD is the result of more than 20 years of development, using bathymetry, flow and farm data from different sites and environments. Events like AquaSur, where we can meet users of the software, are crucial in allowing us to constantly update and improve our product for the benefit of the finfish sector.”