Insight into head damages leads to better fish welfare

Illustration showing fish with head damage
With Aquabyte WELFARE product, you can easily differentiate between wounds and damages on the fish’s head and other parts of the body.

Detailed insight into where damages occur, combined with high-resolution images of the damages, makes it easier to identify the type of wounds and damages the fish has, and what causes them.

With automatic registration of head damages, serious fish welfare issues can be identified earlier, and the cause can be addressed before it leads to severe consequences.

– If you observe that the number of recorded head damages in Aquabyte WEL increases, and this happens after delousing or the installation of new equipment in the cage, it’s easy to put two and two together and identify the cause of why this is happening.
Gunnar Berg
Product & Quality Manager
Image of fish with wound og forehead
Image of fish with head wound captured bye the Aquabyte camera

Poor fish welfare and lower superior rate

The installation of new equipment in the pen, rough handling during delousing, and new production methods are three common causes of head damages in fish. Damages occur when the fish collide with equipment and installations, and if the issue is not addressed, the fish’s condition will worsen over time. The consequence is poorer fish welfare and a lower superior rate at harvest.

Poor fish welfare and lower superior rate

The installation of new equipment in the pen, rough handling during delousing, and new production methods are three common causes of head damages in fish. Damages occur when the fish collide with equipment and installations, and if the issue is not addressed, the fish’s condition will worsen over time. The consequence is poorer fish welfare and a lower superior rate at harvest.

– We see that the number of damages from impacts and blows to the fish’s head is higher in new production methods, such as submerged cages and snorkel cages. This may be caused by equipment malfunction or incorrectly installed equipment, such as the air dome. Monitoring of head damages is important in all pens, but especially in new pen types, says Gunnar Berg.
Block Field
Product & Quality Manager

Easier to differentiate between wounds and damages

Damages to the fish’s head and the extent of these can be difficult to detect through manual observations. At the same time, it is challenging to distinguish between damages caused by impacts and blows to the fish, and wounds that may be caused by, for example, bacterial infections. The causes of wounds or damages vary, and in order to address the issue, it is crucial to be able to differentiate between different types and their causes.

With daily updated data on head damages and detailed images that make it easier to identify types of wounds and damages, WELFARE makes it easier to identify the cause and address issues before the problem escalates.

More head damages in certain types of pens

Data shows that the prevalence of head idamages, caused by fish colliding with equipment and installations in the pen, is higher in certain production methods compared to others. This may be due to the limited space in some types of pens and tanks. It is equally likely that new production technology places greater demands on the proper installation of equipment to prevent damages and impaired fish welfare.

Image of head damage overview from Aquabyte User Portal
In the Aquabyte User Portal, you can easily access an overview of registered head injuries, along with images captured by the camera showing injured fish.

Detailed data – user-friendly interface

With large amounts of detailed data available in the User Portal, it is important that this is presented in a way that provides you with a simple and quick overview of the fish’s status and condition. In WELFARE, data for head damages, body wounds, and 17 other welfare indicators - including those specified LAKSVEL –are displayed in a user-friendly manner, so you can immediately see what requires extra attention and action.

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