Smart Hatchery
- TITLE: Intelligent feeding systems for hatcheries
- DATE: 2019 – 2021
- FUNDING PROGRAM: European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) – BlueEconomy 2018
- LEAD PARTNER: Feeding Systems S.L. – FFF
- PROJECT PARTNERS:
Description
SMART-HATCHERY is a European project led by FishFarmFeeder that aims to transform feeding processes in marine fish and shrimp hatcheries. The project proposes a comprehensive solution based on advanced digital technologies, which includes the centralized intelligent co-feeding system smartFEEsh and a new generation of functional microdiets known as WINFEEDS.
At the heart of the proposal is the automation of the co-feeding process, meaning the simultaneous and controlled delivery of live feeds (microalgae, rotifers, Artemia) and a new generation of nutritionally rich dry microdiets (WINFEEDS). This process, which is critical during the early larval development stages, is precisely managed through smartFEEsh, a system that combines modular hardware, sensors, and an AI-powered platform (i-FFFsw) to adjust feed dosing in real time according to the specific needs of each tank.
This solution makes it possible to optimize feeding efficiency, improve animal welfare, reduce feed waste, and ensure better water quality in hatcheries. Ultimately, SMART-HATCHERY represents a key step toward a more sustainable, efficient, and technologically advanced approach to larval-stage aquaculture.
Key Objectives
Automated co-feeding system for larvae: Deploy a centralized system (smartFEEsh) capable of delivering live feeds and dry microdiets simultaneously and with precision, adapting dynamically to larval development and environmental conditions.
Development of advanced microdiets (WINFEEDS): Design and validate encapsulated, water-stable microdiets tailored to different species (flatfish, fast-growing fish, cold-water fish, and shrimp), optimized for use in automated co-feeding processes.
Enhancing sustainability and profitability: Reduce feeding costs (by up to 10%), increase larval survival (by up to 15%), and lower the incidence of deformities and disease outbreaks through more accurate and stress-reducing feeding protocols.
Digitizing hatchery operations: Introduce a smart platform (i-FFFsw) capable of adjusting feeding programs, storing data in the cloud, and generating alerts and recommendations through AI-driven analytics.
Industrial validation and commercial scaling: Test and validate the full system under real operational conditions at FLATLANTIC’s hatchery (Portugal), demonstrating its technical, economic, and environmental impact as a precursor to market deployment.
Supported by the European Union
This project has received funding from the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) under the EMFF – Blue Economy program, grant agreement No. 863709.
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