Bølge & Blikk – Common framework for welfare data in aquaculture

Project summary

Bølge & Blikk is an FHF-funded research project developing a common framework for automated welfare assessment in fish farming cages. The project bridges acoustic sensors (sonar/echosounder) and optical sensors (cameras), bringing together technology suppliers and fish farmers to make welfare data more comparable across technologies.

Background

Automated sensors provide increasing amounts of information about farmed salmon welfare. Camera systems detect sea lice, wounds, and disease at the individual level. Acoustic sensors — such as sonar — provide an overview of fish behaviour, positioning, and how fish utilise the cage volume, regardless of visibility and light conditions.

These technologies complement each other, but there is currently no shared method for understanding and comparing their outputs. Much of welfare assessment is still based on manual observations.

Objectives

The goal is to develop a technology-neutral framework that enables:

Validation and comparison of welfare data across different sensor types
Systematisation of automatically collected data into operational welfare indicators
Respect for suppliers' intellectual property

Waive's role

Waive provides acoustic data and measurements to the project. Our sonar technology covers the full cage volume regardless of light conditions, visibility, or weather. The data provides insight into fish behaviour and distribution, complementing the detailed information that camera systems offer on individual fish.

The project uses a participatory research approach where both technology suppliers and fish farming companies contribute actively. Results will be published through open reports and presentations at relevant industry events.

Read the press release from Akvaplan-niva: akvaplan.no

Project summary

Background

Objectives

Waive's role

Project partners