Ducking the heat: how a submersible pen helped seriola survive a Red Sea summer
US-headquartered aquaculture supplier Innovasea has announced the successful use its fully submersible aquaculture systems to grow and harvest greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) in the Red Sea.
The project is one of several aquaculture initiatives by Topian, the sustainable food arm of Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project that involves the planned construction of a 170 km-long, 200 metre-wide indoor city in the northwest corner of the kingdom.
Last year, Innovasea’s SeaProtean pens were installed and stocked, marking the first time this type of pen had been deployed in the region.
By using fully submersible pens, our clients can now expand aquaculture into regions previously deemed unfeasible
Innovasea said that despite a summer of intense heat, the SeaProtean’s buoyancy control system and fully submersible design allowed operators to safely move fish further down in the water column and below the thermocline. This resulted in no mortalities due to heat, allowing the fish to survive the harsh summer temperatures.
Extreme environments
“The SeaProtean pen is engineered to support fish in extreme environments, such as the high surface temperatures of the Red Sea,” said Marc Turano, Innovasea’s general manager of aquaculture systems.
“By using fully submersible pens, our clients can now expand aquaculture into regions previously deemed unfeasible.”
To ensure optimal performance, the pens were fitted with environmental sensors that monitor changing water conditions, AI-powered biomass cameras that accurately track growth projections, and high-definition cameras offer full visibility into underwater operations.
Additionally, Innovasea’s FlowFeeder waterborne feeding system enables farm operators to automatically and remotely deliver feed to fish below the surface, cutting down on feed waste, reducing energy costs, and lowering the number of lost feed days due to inclement weather.
Operators can then track all of this information in Innovasea’s Realfish Pro aquaculture platform, a cloud-based solution that combines real-time data with powerful analytics and advanced modules to track operations and support data-driven operations.
Latest technology
“We are excited to collaborate with Topian to bring the latest aquaculture technology to the region,” said Innovasea chief executive Mark Jollymore. “It’s an excellent opportunity to showcase the benefits of precision aquaculture and lay the groundwork for what could become a significant growth area.”
Food security is a key element of the NEOM project, with a focus on providing sustainable, high-quality nutrition. Topian's aquacultural initiative offers access to local fish populations, thereby reducing reliance on imports in an environmentally responsible manner.
“The adoption of this breakthrough technology demonstrates our commitment to leveraging the latest advancements to improve nutrition and ensure sustainability,” said Majid Mufti, chief executive of the NEOM Investment Fund (NIF).
“Topian’s aquaculture initiatives will ensure access to tasty, local fish species that are a source of high-quality protein and help reduce reliance on food imports in an environmentally responsible way.”
