SECURE

Securing fish-farming technology and operations to reduce escapes

SECURE is 4 years research project funded by Research Council of Norway. The project has started in November 2008 and consists of 7 working packages. This project is colaboration between SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture and following institutions and research centers: NOFIMA, NINA,  CeSOS and CREATE.

A large body of knowledge on the causes and extent of escapes exists within research institutions, fish farming companies, technology providers and government agencies. However, the predominant focus of research regarding escapes has been on determining the extent of escapees, tracing them after escape and determining their subsequent impacts. Knowledge specific to improve net pen technology and operational methods to reduce escapes has hitherto been in the background.

Project leader is Dr Østen Jensen.

WP1 Existing knowledge

Objectives of this package is to review knowledge from existing research, industry and governmental sources and package this knowledge so that it is useful input to technological research on improving equipment in the sea and use of the equipment.

Work-pack leader: Dr Pål-Arne Bjørn.

WP2 Cumulative damage

To establish a method for determining wave distributions for locations used for fish farming and increase knowledge of fatigue resistance of plastic structures to reduce the overall risk of structural collapse caused by fatigue

Work-pack leader: Dr Anna Olsen.

WP3 Sea load exposure

Objectives are first of all to develop knowledge and methods to improve design of components in fish farm structures that are critical in extreme weather conditions. Secondly the objective is to obtain knowledge of how several individual, non-critical coinciding events together contribute to structural failure of aquaculture structures.

Work-pack leader: Dr Pål Lader.

WP4 Operational hazards and escape critical operations

n Objective is to identify escape critical events and situations to be used for input towards design and operational guidelines to prevent escape and develop methods to evaluate short- and long-term damage to equipment and constructions due to typical fish farming operations.

Work-pack leader: Dr Østen Jensen.

WP5 Net Materials

The aim is to develop fundamental knowledge of the properties of nets to reduce the risk of escapes due to net rupture.

Work-pack leader: Heidi Moe PhD .

WP6 Escape-related fish behaviour

The objective is to describe the inherent pre-escape behaviour of cod and to understand how state-dependent individual behavioral traits and technological net traits affect escape motivation.

Work-pack leader: Dr. Børge Damsgård.

WP7  Production management strategies

The aim is to understand how feeding regimes, stocking densities and stimulation affect escape-related behaviour and devise management strategies to reduce escape motivation.

Work-pack leader: Erik Høy MSc.