Adjusting feeding to fish appetite by using camera technology

How can we design a technology that will support efficient and sustainable aquaculture? iFishIENCi partner, Ivar Ronnestad from University of Bergen, has visited AquaBioTech Group in Malta, to plan experiments expected to begin in March next year. The trials will use innovative techniques with cameras combined with food tracers to monitor the feeding behavior of fish. Food tracers are used for measuring individual food intake. These glass beads are placed in fish meal and they can be traced in fish digestive system using X-ray. The information generated by these trials will be analysed by artificial intelligence produced by the iFishIENCi project, and the results will be used to help develop and calibrate improved feeding methods in Recirculation Aquaculture Systems. Ivar Ronnestad is creating a mathematical model that can be used to identify optimal fish feeding strategies, based upon the physiology of appetite control and the behavior of fish whilst feeding. The goal is to give control to the aquaculture workers so that they can produce happy, healthy fish for sustainable markets.