The pioneering aquaculture technology company Ace Aquatec was recognized a few days ago for its revolutionary fish monitoring technology in the Innovation category of the Scotland Business of the Year awards. The company, based in Dundee, Scotland, develops advanced hardware with AI-driven software to improve fish welfare, optimize production, and reduce operating costs.
“This award is recognition of the innovation, expertise and ambition that drives everything we do at Ace Aquatec. A-BIOMASS demonstrates how cutting-edge AI and imaging technology can help producers make better decisions, improve fish welfare and operate more sustainably,” said Tara McGregor-Woodhams, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of Ace Aquatec.
And she added: “As global demand for responsibly produced seafood continues to grow, farmers need smarter tools that deliver both economic and environmental benefits. We are proud to be developing world-leading technology in Scotland that is solving real challenges for producers around the world, while strengthening the future of sustainable aquaculture.”
By embedding AI and machine learning throughout fish production, their systems lower cost per kilo, enhance welfare outcomes, and support sustainable protein growth worldwide, they explain.
Trusted by Producers Worldwide
The members of Ace Aquatec assure that their A-BIOMASS camera is a leading example of how AI and advanced imaging technology are transforming aquaculture. Designed to accurately measure the length and weight of individual fish in challenging, low-light underwater environments, the system continuously captures and analyses large volumes of data in real time.
They say this enables farmers to make more informed, data-driven decisions around feeding, stock management and harvesting, improving operational efficiency, sustainability and fish welfare.
Ace Aquatec has also developed several tools to improve welfare across the aquaculture and marine sectors including its award-winning Humane Stunner Universal (A-HSU), a cutting-edge fish stunning system that enables efficient, high-quality harvesting while supporting the highest standards of fish welfare. Trusted by producers worldwide, it delivers a fast, reliable and humane process that sets a benchmark for the industry
[FOTO2]
Indonesian Shrimp Producer
Some weeks before receiving the award, the company PT Brother announced they chosen Ace Aquatec’s portable stunner system for its site in Cilacap, Indonesia, as the company begins a program of welfare and harvesting improvements. With long distances between pens and processing creating potential transit times of up to 12 hours, the shrimp breeder identified that the longer specimens were transported before harvest, the more stressed they became, with quality also significantly reduced.
The solution was the A-HSU for Shrimp in-water electric stunning system from award-winning aquaculture technology company Ace Aquatec. The mobility of the portable unit, meaning it can easily be maneuvered between locations on the company’s 3.5-hectare site, was a key factor in the decision to install.
“We chose Ace Aquatec‘s portable stunner to support our ambition to become a market leader in shrimp welfare. The system will dramatically cut transit time between our pens and processing operations, and Ace Aquatec will be key to helping us scale. Once rolled out across all three of our main sites, we expect to grow harvest volumes from around 350 tons per year at our Cilacap site to almost 2,150 tons,” said Riza Nugraha, president director at PT Brother.
As well as improving shrimp welfare during harvesting and supporting PT Brother’s ambition to raise welfare standards in the region, the system is expected to significantly increase both harvest volume and product quality. Manual harvesting currently delivers an estimated one tone every 45 minutes, while the A-HSU system has the potential capacity to process up to eight tons per hour.
Tara McGregor-Woodhams, chief sales and marketing officer at Ace Aquatec, commented: “We’re proud to be working with PT Brother as they take a leadership position on shrimp welfare. Shrimp is one of the world’s fastest-growing protein sources, and producers who prioritize welfare today are building a real competitive advantage as consumer and regulatory expectations continue to rise. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to welfare-first, sustainable aquaculture, and we look forward to seeing PT Brother lead the way.”
