Monitoring Fisheries and Aquaculture

Fish is a healthy source of animal protein, as it is high in essential nutrients, including unsaturated fats. In 2013, 17% of global animal protein consumption came from fish (UN, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2016). The present world population is anticipated to increase to 8.5 billion by 2030, according to the UN (World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision).

The rising population poses the challenge of worldwide food security. Aquaculture has already gained a foothold in various coastal states, and farm raised fish sales are also on the rise. This has made aquaculture an important part of the export economy in some countries.

The global seafood consumption from farm raised sources is expected to rise considerably in the forthcoming years. Hence executing sustainable ways in the growing aquaculture industry is essential to reduce pressure on wild fish stocks and reduce other environmental impacts.

Healthy Fish Require Monitoring

Adherence to stringent environmental and health standards is essential as a food producer. Some of the major factors to be considered in aquaculture are animal health, hygiene and particularly water use. Disease and sickness can spread easily among the animals, and because of the nature of these floating aquatic farms, the outbreaks can also spread to wild populations. Medical care and supplementary nutrients should be regulated to safeguard the other wildlife. Confirming exact dosage of these and checking the water quality and waste is important for compliance with government standards.

Lower Costs With Optimization

A process analyzer can accurately monitor water for nutrients, medications and waste levels, reducing the costs of running a fish farm and optimizing the processes which keep the fish healthy and growing.

Metrohm Process Analytics provides different analytical approaches in many different analyzer configurations for any need: photometry, ion chromatography, NIR spectroscopy, titration and ion-selective measurements. Metrohm’s online process analyzers and custom-built sample preconditioning systems are developed in the Netherlands and maintained by Metrohm’s local service engineers globally.

Applications

Delousing with Hydrogen Peroxide

For delousing, the fish are introduced to dilute baths of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) for up to 20 minutes. This removes the attached parasites, which can then be filtered from water. On the contrary, overdosing can lead to oxidative stress in fish, the bleaching of skin/scales and death. Thus, a fast analysis and response time are required. The Metrohm Process Analytics 2035 and the 2045TI Process Analyzers are designed to carry out this measurement online.

• Monitor H₂O₂ in a typical range of 0 to 2500 mg/L
• Accurately control dose rate into treatment tank
• Improve fish welfare, reduce overhead costs, lessen environmental burden by measuring online

Process Analyzer ADI 2045TI

Monitoring Nutrient Loads

Farmed fish need a range of amino acids, essential fats and other nutritional elements to grow. On the contrary, many of these nutrients also feed on other organisms present in water. In higher concentrations, limited nutrients like phosphate enable proliferation of toxic algal blooms, considerably reducing the water quality for fish.

The 2035 TP Analyzer is configured with a built-in cuvette digester to determine both ortho and total phosphate phosphorus around the clock.

2035 TP is offered in 3 measurement ranges:

• Standard TP (0–5 mg/L)
• Low TP (0–150 µg/L)
• High TP (0–100 mg/L)

2035 TP Analyzer

Water Quality

Continuous online measurement of ammonia and other similar waste products is particularly essential for the water quality in the fish pens and adjoining environment.

The ICON series of process analyzers carry out photometric absorption measurements of single analytes in the visible light range.

• Differential Absorbance Colorimetry (DAC) compensates for the sample’s color and turbidity
• Heated cuvette for added measurement stability
• Each ICON comes programmed and preconfigured for one of 16 different applications

Plug and Analyze: ICON Analyzer

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Metrohm AG.

For more information on this source, please visit Metrohm AG.