Dundee, United Kingdom-based aquaculture technology supplier Ace Aquatec has announced that it will provide a humane culling system to Puerto Montt, Chile-based smolt producer Lago Sofía.
The companies announced the collaboration on 15 October after a successful test of the technology, which is called A-HCS, at a Lago Sofía site led to a 75 percent cut in labor costs and a reduction of water usage and waste in the firm's supply chain.
Lago Sofía Production Manager Alejandro Delgadillo said that, in recent tests "the A-HCS system has delivered results beyond our expectations, making the culling process safer, simpler, and highly efficient."
"This technology has reinforced our commitment to animal welfare while reducing costs and supporting our long-term sustainability goals,” he said.
The system sits in the water, culling animals which are “deemed unlikely to thrive at sea” for various reasons.
Traditionally, smolt producers have used chemicals to euthanize these fish, but Lago Sofía was in search of a chemical-free solution.
Abstaining from chemicals not only moves the company toward a zero-waste supply chain, it said, but opens new markets by rendering the culled fish safe for human consumption and other uses.
Lago Sofía also said that the system had been useful during fish-grading and vaccination processes.
Ace Aquatec Sales and Service Manager Constanza Fontaine Correa said that she hoped the partnership would be the first step in a move toward “world-class welfare standards” and “practical operational efficiency” for the Chilean salmon industry.
“Lago Sofía’s commitment to reducing chemical use and advancing toward a zero-waste supply chain sets an inspiring precedent," she said. "This partnership demonstrates that advances in fish welfare, environmental responsibility, and operational excellence can truly go hand in hand.”
Lago Sofía uses a unique approach to recirculation, with a mini-RAS attached to every fish tank to manage water quality. The company reports a 98 percent water recirculation rate and production of 15 million smolts annually, which it said makes up 8 percent of Chilean national production.
Ace Aquatec produces a number of fish welfare technologies, many of which are designed to minimize contact and reduce stress.
On 7 October, it announced a partnership with Tasmanian salmon farmer Petuna to install biomass cameras that would allow the company to non-invasively assess fish weight in the low light environment of the Tamar River estuary at Rowella and in Macquarie Harbor.
The firm also celebrated a EUR 10 million (USD 11.7 million) oversubscribed investment round in May, which it said would go to support integrating AI into Ace Aquatec technologies.
