Aquaculture 4.0… Automatic Feeders Are Just the Beginning

By Antonio Garza de Yta, Ph.D.

Sensors and automatic feeders are just the beginning of the technological revolution we will see in aquaculture in the coming years, which we could call Aquaculture 4.0.

Firstly, I would like to wish all readers of this magazine a successful and dream-filled 2024, filled with good health and energy, and surrounded by loved ones. In 2023, we returned to a sense of normalcy after a difficult time due to COVID, which had brought the world to a standstill.

The World Aquaculture Society hosted events on every continent, allowing us to meet in New Orleans, Australia, Panama, and Zambia. It was a pleasure to see many of you in the hallways during these conferences. It confirms that aquaculture is growing and advancing, providing protein for future generations and improving the quality of life for those associated with our beautiful activity.

I began this year in Spain, where I visited Fish Farm Feeder. During my visit, I had the opportunity to interact with several world-renowned specialists and technicians who specialize in the manufacture of automatic feeders. During my conversation with Miguel Arostegui, the CEO, and Javier Alvarez Osuna, the Research and Development Director, I gained insight into the progress and obstacles they have encountered while transitioning from rustic to precision aquaculture.

I credit them for the content of this column. Designing technologically advanced equipment that can withstand harsh working conditions in inhospitable areas with varied climates and understanding an industry that was once a black box are not the only challenges. Meeting customer needs and generating a useful and profitable product for operators are also crucial.

In what I consider the early stages of precision aquaculture, we now monitor and control the environment and water quality using sensors for physicochemical parameters and activate aerators or liquid oxygen.

Additionally, we have implemented feeding controls through automatic feeders and sensors that detect the vigor with which our cultured animals feed. We are gradually incorporating sensors to monitor the growth of organisms and analyze their behavior to assess their well-being.

Additionally, we are implementing harvesting models to optimize our inventory and meet customer demands using advanced instruments and automatic harvesters.

The next significant step is integrating these systems. They have been developed separately and do not communicate with each other.

Although they are useful individually and aid in decision-making, the accumulation of data and the use of Big Data technology can lead to what we call Aquaculture 4.0. This allows for the utilization of all available tools for strategic decision-making, including consideration of price trends and market requirements.

As we can see, the use of sensors and automatic feeders represents only the initial phase of the technological revolution that will shape the future of aquaculture. This industry is poised for growth, and as such, it will require a highly skilled workforce.

As a result, job quality is expected to improve significantly. There will always be a need for skilled technicians who understand the principles and processes of aquaculture and can handle new technologies. Despite concerns that technicians may become expendable, their expertise remains essential.

The transparency of aquaculture is increasing, bringing us closer to the goal of minimizing its environmental footprint. This consolidates its position as the most sustainable form of animal protein production.

*Antonio Garza de Yta is Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisor for AWJ Innovation, Vice President of the International Center for Strategic Studies in Aquaculture (CIDEEA), President of Aquaculture Without Frontiers (AwF), Past President of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS), Former Secretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Tamaulipas, Mexico, and Creator of the Certification for Aquaculture Professionals (CAP) Program with Auburn University.