Project uses AI-powered cameras to improve fish growth tracking and feeding strategies

Joint project uses AI-powered cameras to monitor fish growth, helping refine feeding strategies and support aquaculture breeding programs

A project between technology company Ace Aquatec and breeding firm Hendrix Genetics is using AI-powered cameras to track how individual fish grow over time, offering new insights into fish performance and feeding.

Hendrix Genetics is using Ace Aquatec’s A-BIOMASS® system to measure fish weight and identify individual fish without handling them. This allows the company to monitor growth continuously, rather than relying on occasional manual sampling that can stress fish and disrupt feeding.

By building a clearer picture of how fish grow, the company can see which stock performs best under different conditions, including seasonal changes. That information can then be used to match broodstock and eggs to specific farming environments.

“We found that to create a more accurate picture of growth cycles within our stock, we required more snapshots and better-quality images, and to do that manually would cause unnecessary stress on the fish,” said Stephen Tapping, breeding program manager at Hendrix Genetics.

The data is also being used to refine feeding strategies, allowing producers to align feed with peak growth periods so fish receive nutrition when they need it most. According to the companies, this can improve efficiency while reducing waste, supporting water quality and fish health.

“Ace Aquatec’s camera has given us much more precise, individualized data collection of our fish’s growth, not just the biomass of the tank, how much feed we flow in, but in plotting the actual growth of the fish,” said Tapping. “This will ultimately benefit our customers by providing the best stock for their own farming practices.”

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Traditional methods of measuring fish weight involve handling fish, which can cause stress and affect feeding. Automated camera systems allow for continuous monitoring, providing long-term data without direct human intervention.

“Our work with Hendrix Genetics has proven the application of biomass technology outside of simply monitoring the biomass of the tank,” said Nathan Pyne-Carter, CEO of Ace Aquatec. “This project has shown us how data can influence everything from feed strategy to optimizing fish stock for the conditions they are to be farmed, as well as early disease detection.”

“Aquaculture has the potential to be one of the most efficient means of protein creation for a growing population and using AI-driven technology in this way is the progression that the industry needs to achieve a sustainable and affordable source of food,” said Tapping.

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