24 minute read
AI and the art of informed decisions
It’s all about making it possible for users to make the most fully informed decisions possible, said Jón Heiðar Pálsson, who heads sales at Icelandic software leader Wise
Located in Iceland, Wise has built up a strong reputation for its accounting and business software systems that are in use around the world, based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The Wise off erings include WiseFish, tailored for seafood companies, and he commented that somewhere between 80 and 90% of all Icelandic quotas are managed via a Wise system in one way or another as WiseFish in particular was a revolutionary tool when it fi rst appeared on the market 25 years ago.
“The fundamanetal difference between what WiseFish can do and other systems is that WiseFish holds all of the information relating to the seafood value chain in one place, whch provides a unique overview of the process as a whole, from catching, through processing, and all the way to sales and distribution,” he explained.
By building on the foundations offered by Microsoft’s Business Central, today used by more than 160,000 companies around the world, the service side of the system is fully covered, plus there are tailored add-ons that cover particular taxation requirements, different languages, and more. There are agents in most countries able to install standard systems, and to provide service for additional packages as required.
“In the past, all this information was here and there across the value chain. But the arrival of WiseFish made it possible to bring all of these elements together into a single, central database, eliminating the need to enter the same information more than once, instead enabling the data to flow,” he said.
“When Navision, which later became Business Central, appeared on the scene there was finally a tool that could harmonise databases and simplify processes. What we at Wise have done is to tailor the “fish” interface for this system. There was no need to go deep into developing a business and inventory framework, because that was already there, and instead we were able to focus completely on crafting and fine-tuning an interface that would meet the demands of the seafood sector. So WiseFish was the first system that brought together every strand of information a seafood company needs in a single package.”
Digital transformation
The technical advances of the last few years and decades have resulted in significant changes to the seafood industry. The digital transformation gathered pace during the 1990s, laying the groundwork for synthesised production processes and the development of communications technology that are behind today’s innovations.
Reliable information is the basis of good decision-making. By linking systems such as Marel’s Innova production systems and Wise peripherals with WiseFish users can maintain a complete overview of fisheries, production, inventory, sales and distribution with far more precision than has been possible before, and can take business decisions based on this up-to-date data.
Much of the production process is now automated, and the introduction of artificial intelligence isn’t far away – and for Jón Heiðar Pálsson, this is a dream that’s about to come true.
“Put yourself in the shoes of a production manager who
8 The arrival
of artifi cial intelligence is a dream that’s coming true for Jón Heiðar Pálsson at Icelandic software company Wise
takes delivery of 20 tonnes of fish. That’s raw material that can be used to manufacture more than a hundred different products. The decisions that need to be taken depend on a whole range of factors, such as how long the fish have been in ice, which packaging is most economic, what prices various products fetch, what products buyers are asking for, and so much more. There are thirty to forty indicators that the production manager needs to evaluate very rapidly to know how best to deal with this raw material,” he said, commenting that in future artificial intelligence will be increasingly employed to define the most effective production strategies for the limited resources that are available.
“With this rapid growth in the digital world, it should be able to draw information from around a hundred points in sales, catching and production histories that can be collated in a single location to assist in taking the most effective decisions. This is the dream we’re working towards,” he said.
“We have gradually been building up a set of data streams and information held in the system, which will make this possible. Fishing trips are registered in WiseFish, with data on catch, temperature, position and more, making it possible to monitor the raw material and have information on what’s in the fishroom, in which tubs, when it was iced, and so on. When the fishing vessel docks, the production manager has already planned production routes for the fish. This is where artificial intelligence can be fully utilised in assisted decisionmaking, taking into account what the market is looking for and what the sales people are selling at that point.”
He added that artificial intelligence also holds the keys to market prediction that can be of significant use in sales and marketing.
“The sales team can see exactly what is in stock, and a transparent production process that can be easily adjusted to market requirements means that sales can also see what will be in stock. This gives the sales team an advantage as they can offer customers products that are still raw material in a fishing vessel’s hold.”
New year, new WiseFish
A new version of WiseFish can be expected in early 2022 and the company’s technical department is busy with the final stages of development along with consultants Itera as they make the software better and even more user friendly. The intention is to have Wise systems available on the Microsoft marketplace, and this calls for some strict requirements concerning quality, functionality and support to be met. Rather than an intergral system, the new version comes as an addition to Business Central, which facilitiates installation and updates for both users and their partners. At the same time, Microsoft’s cloud solution is being taken into use, opening further opportunities – such as for the use of artificial intelligence.
“At Wise we want to take this idea all the way, so that all WiseFish users can upload specific data to the cloud anonymously, providing access to detailed comparison data that can be highly beneficial,” Jón Heiðar Pálsson said.
This comparison capacity combined with everything that artificial intelligence can offer are expected to generate more than just financial advantages. The result is expected to be a leaner, more streamlined process as a whole that supports sustainable practices. As the carbon footprint of their purchases becomes increasingly important to consumers, a system that helps manage the entire chain from the deck to the consumer’s plate eliminates unnecessary movements, reducing fuel consumption and therefore emissions. This also minimises risk to the product’s quality and shelf life by reducing the hazards of unexpected temperature changes.
“By taking advantage of complete solutions and artificial intelligence, we can take things further than we do today. It’s challenging to take decisions when the volume of data available is so broad,” he said.
“Using the technology means better decisions are taken, and that maximises the value of every box of fish that’s landed.”
8 WiseFish pulls
together every strand of data from catching through processing to sales and distribution
ELECTRONIC vs MANUAL MONITORING
A study carried out for the Nature Conservancy has concluded that electronic monitoring on board fi shing vessels provides accurate and reliable sources of data for the development of selective fi shing practices and for the control of compliance with management measures because of their ability to be verifi ed
The study was carried out on 15 tropical tuna longliners operating in the Western Pacifi c and equipped with Satlink’s SeaTube electronic monitoring (EM) system, with data from 98 trips in the EEZs of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Marshalls Islands analysed and compared against traditional logbook recording of data..
According to the study, the biggest difference between the two recording systems occurred in the case of yellowfin tuna caught in the waters of Palau, with estimated catches calculated from the EM are up to 1.3 (30%) times higher than those recorded in the logbooks. Likewise, also in Palau, estimates of shark by-catch calculated from EM were almost eight times higher than those obtained from logbook data. In addition, according to the study, the EM system identifies a greater variety of species in each shot, specifically, between eight and ten, compared to the logbook counts of approximately five to eight.
The report’s compliers point out that the widespread use of these systems by governments and RFMOs would improve the accuracy of target and non-target catch reporting, including species with populations in decline, and would provide more reliable data for scientific assessments on which to base more precise measures for sustainable resource management.
The authors also stress the value of these systems for improving the management of fisheries that, like the Pacific longline fishery, have low human observer coverage, with a
Photo: Satlink
minimum rate of 5% recommended by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the possibility of increasing this rate to 20% as suggested by scientific organisations.
Spanish technology
The Satlink installion on these 15 vessels consists of three or four high-resolution digital video cameras that record onboard activity uninterruptedly in a tamper-evident manner. In addition, the ships have a geolocation systems that provide the watermark of date, time, and location on each video.
The recorded data has been verified by local analysts certified by the Pacific Islands Regional Fisheries Observer Program and trained by Digital Observer Service (DOS) personnel. This company, part of the Satlink group, specialises in analysis of video information collected by the SeaTube system and generating accurate scientific reports on catch composition, size, by-catch and confirming fishing grounds. Since 2014, DOS has trained more than 150 professionals worldwide in EM data analysis.
Satlink is a leader in this type of EM system, with more than 250 installations for monitoring and managing the fishing activity of various fisheries in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, in collaboration with governments, NGOs and vessel operators. In the case of the Pacific Ocean, has fitted more than 110 vessels under nine different flags with monitoring systems.
8 A study
carried out in the Spanish fl eet’s Pacifi c longline fi shery has found that electronic monitoring produces signifi cantly better data than conventional logbook reporting
SELECTING THE TECHNOLOGY FOR LIVE FISH
Norwegian operator Aquaship is putting circular economy principles into action by converting off shore vessels into wellboats and equipping them with sustainable systems for live fi sh transport
Aquaship has selected technology supplier Cfl ow to deliver fi sh handling technology for wellboats, Grip Marine and Grip Explorer. Both are conversions from off shore industry PSVs to 3300m3 capacity wellboats.
“It is crucial for us to have the latest technology on board. We have had good co-operation with Cflow over several decades and with Grip Marine and Grip Explorer we are taking it one step further. In addition we are reducing our environmental footprint through converting existing vessels instead of building from scratch,” said Aquaship COO Nils Otterlei.
The projects are a result of long term co-operation between Aquaship and Cflow, where competence and experience from both companies has been combined to improve live fish transport through more gentle fish handling. Cflow designs and develops fish handling technology for wild catch and aquaculture.
“Close co-operation between vessel owners, fish farmers and technology suppliers raises the bar for the wellboat industry,” explained Cflow CMO Gunnar Hoff.
“Our co-operation with Aquaship places high demands on Cflow as a technology supplier and helps us to continuously reach for new heights. Grip Marine and Grip Explorer are tailormade projects in which competences from technology, biology and operations are combined to create the future solutions for live fish, while minimising the environmental footprint.” Cflow is to deliver complete water treatment and fish handling systems for the two vessels. The advanced control system monitors the fish handling operations on board and builds data to continuously improve fish welfare and efficiency.
“Farmed salmon is the world’s most sustainable source of animal protein, and Cflow will take its share of the responsibility to reach the UN sustainable development goals,” stated Cflow CEO Stig Bjørkedal.
“The offshore industry has built high standard vessels according to strict regulations, with high reuse value. Through conversions such as these we can bring the competence and value created from the Norwegian oil adventure into the industry of tomorrow, aquaculture.”
8 AquaShip is
converting former PSVs into wellboats Grip Marine and Grip Explorer
8 Cfl ow is
delivering the complete water treatment and fi sh handling systems for AquaShip’s two wellboat conversions
CONNECTING SHRIMP FARMERS AND BUYERS
A new data-driven marketplace developed by XpertSea is helping the shrimp industry unlock growth and seal better trade deals, reports Bonnie Waycott
Shrimp farming is a key sector of aquaculture that has grown to become the world’s largest, valued at US$30 billion today. However, around 50% of crops are lost to disease, only 10% of farmers are able to access capital, and the industry is constantly at the mercy of price fl uctuations and delayed payments by big buyers.
In an attempt to address issues such as these, Canadian aquaculture technology firm XpertSea has connected shrimp farmers and buyers through a data-driven marketplace that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and financial services to transform the way shrimp is farmed and traded. Founded in 2012, the company provides AI technology to improve farming efficiency and help shrimp farmers understand the quality and commercial value of their shrimp. Its belief is that technology and data are key to unlocking aquaculture’s potential as the most efficient protein production system.
“Shrimp is the highest value seafood species that is being farmed,” said Valerie Robitaille, CEO of XpertSea. “With a serious technology gap in the industry, there is a lot of room for optimisation. Our technology brings transparency and trust between shrimp farmers and buyers, creating a lot more efficiency in the market. It also allows farmers to access cash flow to grow their operations, something that has hardly been available to them.”
Launched in November 2020, the new marketplace pairs shrimp farmers and buyers and provides them with crop data, which enables them to analyse the status and livelihood of shrimp before a deal is reached. Farmers then receive up to 80% of their crop value within 24 hours of harvest. This
Photos: XpertSea
improves their cash flow, de-risks their business and unlocks growth. All they have to do is take pictures of their shrimp using XpertSea’s smartphone app to accurately capture health and quality data before selling. The marketplace was first launched in Ecuador, where, according to XpertSea’s fieldwork, farmers were being paid on average 38 days after harvest, limiting their ability to start their next production and invest in their operations. Over 3175 tonnes (7 million pounds) of shrimp were traded in the first few months of the marketplace’s launch, and over the next year there was a 50% month-over-month increase in new ponds registered and more than 5400 tonnes (12 million pounds) of shrimp traded. More regions are now due to adopt the marketplace, including southeast Asia.
According to Valerie Robitaille, the key to attracting farmers and buyers is strong incentives, such as making it as easy as possible for them to quickly access money for their next production cycle and opening more market opportunities for buyers. Although huge, the shrimp farming industry is a tight-knit community and word-of-mouth is bringing more people to the marketplace, with farmers wanting to work with particular buyers and vice-versa.
Farmers in Ecuador have also reported positive results. Wilson Gomez of El Oro Farms reached his shrimp target harvest weight 12 to 15 days sooner than he used to (this is a 16% reduction in cycle time). Carlos Santos, owner of Oro Del Mar, sold to a buyer in a different province for the first time and got 10% above what he could get from his regular buyers, while Harry Viafara of Exporcareca was able to generate an
8 A Vietnamese
shrimp farmer uses XpertSea’s app
additional harvest cycle thanks to faster payments, resulting in 33% more revenue.
“When there is a relationship of trust between farmer and buyer, and more data on the shrimp are available, things become easier and transactions become more efficient,” Valerie Robitaille said.
“Of course, a buyer may want to send someone to look at the shrimp, or a farmer will want to send samples to a particular buyer so she can investigate the product in more detail, but the current trend is that farmers and buyers are confident in the data and this is strengthening the foundation of trust between them and enabling them to work together. We are giving them the tools that help them build and enhance that trust.”
Creating a more efficient shrimp supply chain is not the only goal of the data-driven marketplace. Aquaculture brings with it considerable risks, while a lack of data and understanding of the market makes it hard for the industry to attract big investors or more institutionalised investments. At the same time, consumers are increasingly keen to know more about where their food comes from and how it is farmed. Valerie Robitaille believes that the marketplace could bring greater advantages on the traceability front, thanks to trustworthy data on the quality and value of production. Giving economic stability to farmers through a host of incentives such as same-day payment is also likely to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices, she says.
“The supply chain is opaque and inefficient but there needs to be a strong economic incentive for people to want transparency and understand that it can be profitable to be transparent,” she said.
“This is where we come in – by providing incentives for achieving this transparency through access to cash or better prices.
Using technology to bring transparency will make it a lot easier for people to invest and this is how we can help make this industry more sustainable and a more viable solution for food security. This is what I am excited about – the role of technology in de-risking aquaculture and making it a very investable sector for the future.” Having successfully launched the marketplace, in August 2021 XpertSea secured a $20 million Series B funding round led by QED Investors and Atlantico with Investissement Quebec. The funding will be used for new product development and to continue investing in technology, which Robitaille believes can help de-risk investments and access to cash, make the shrimp market more valuable, help buyers really understand what they are getting and build transparency throughout the shrimp p supply chain is not the supply chain. The funding will also be put toward XpertSea’s tplace. Aquaculture brings entry into new markets in southeast Asia. The company’s goal is le a lack of data and to keep delivering on the data-driven marketplace and es it hard for the industry to solidifying the transparency solution in order to interact tionalised investments. with international buyers and eventually with ncreasingly keen to consumers to help them understand where their d comes from and seafood comes from. With a better e believes that the understanding of the risks and performance dvantages on the of shrimp farmers’ crops, XpertSea is aiming to orthy data on the provide even better solutions. Giving economic “The shrimp industry is continuing to grow ost of incentives and there is so much more that we can do,” s also likely to Valerie Robitaille added. inable practices, “I’m excited to see how much of a difference we can make. We are very fortunate to have and inefficient but support from our existing investors as well mic incentive for as new investors. This will enable us to go understand deeper and look at more technology nsparent,” that we can develop, data we can harvest and more solutions we can roviding bring in terms of financing and parency markets in order to expand further r prices. on an international level.”
supply chain. The funding will also be put towa entry into new markets in southeast Asia. The com to keep delivering on the data-driven mar solidifying the transparency solution in ord with international buyers and eve consumers to help them understan seafood comes from. Wit understanding of the risks and of shrimp farmers’ crops, XpertSe provide even better solutions. “The shrimp industry is contin and there is so much more tha Valerie Robitaille added. “I’m excited to see how much o we can make. We are very fortu support from our existing inve as new investors. This will en deeper and look at more that we can develop, d harvest and more solut bring in terms of fin markets in order to ex on an international leve
8 Via the app,
artifi cial intelligence assesses the health and quality of shrimp
8 “With a serious
technology gap in the industry, there is a lot of room for optimisation,” said XpertSea CEO Valerie Robitaille
FISH FARMING IN INDIA BRINGS COVID RELIEF
A group of fi sh farmers from a marginalised community in India are enjoying a bumper harvest of pearl spot from their cage fi sh farming venture, bringing some relief from the diffi culties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic
A self-help group named ‘Puzhayoram’ in Maradu, a village in India’s Ernakulam district in Kerala, recorded a yield of 600kg of pearl spot from a 4 x 4 metre cage in MaraduNettoor backwaters. The cage farming was part of a programme of the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) of the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) for the Scheduled Caste community.
“With no income and unemployment, the Covid-19 pandemic and following lockdown had a cascading effect on the lives of the SC families in the region,” explained Dr K Madhu, principal scientist of the CMFRI and the principal investigator
Photo: CMFRI
of the project. However, the cage farming venture has helped them sustain their livelihood to a certain extent.”
The ten-month project began last year with the stocking of 2000 pearl spot seeds with the fish attaining a growth rate of 380g and selling for around US$6 per kilogramme. The cage, seeds and feed were provided free of cost by the ICAR-CMFRI which also supplied researchers to help guide the farmers.
“The institute is always focused on empowering the marginalised section of the society through small-scale enterprises by extending its technologies to them,” said Dr A Gopalakrishnan, director of ICAR-CMFRI.
8 The pearl spot
harvest in the cage fi sh farming venture of the SC families in Maradu
GSA completes rebranding initiative
A rebranding initiative that kicked off in April when Global Seafood Assurances merged with the Global Aquaculture Alliance has concluded with the nonprofi t organisation’s name offi cially changed to the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA).
“Since 2018, we’ve been working diligently to establish an umbrella under which credible third-party assurances for both aquaculture and wild-capture fisheries can be linked,” said GSA CEO Wally Stevens.
“The completion of the rebranding initiative and the transition from the Global Aquaculture Alliance to the Global Seafood Alliance is a major step forward in our journey, as we continue to fulfil our vision of a world that embraces the role of responsible seafood in meeting global nutrition needs.”
The rebrand reflects GSA’s budding involvement in wild-capture fisheries through the introduction in June of Best Seafood Practices (BSP), the only third-party certification programme capable of providing credible third-party assurances linking responsible wild-capture fisheries to Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS)-certified vessels and Seafood Processing Plant Standard (SPS)-certified facilities through the Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard.
The process began in 2018 with the formation of Global Seafood Assurances to address gaps in certification in the wild seafood supply chain. Since then, SPS has
8 The new GSA logo adopts the icon and font
of the familiar BAP logo
been updated to include processing plants that handle wild seafood, and RFVS has been acquired from the United Kingdom’s Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish), internationalised and put to market.
“While the rebranding initiative is a rewarding accomplishment for our organisation, we still have a lot of work ahead of us as we embrace this unique opportunity to work across both farmed and wild-capture seafood, helping to ensure that responsible practices are applied throughout the seafood supply chain,” added GSA COO Brian Perkins, who joined GSA from the Marine Stewardship Council in March to help guide the organisation through the transition and into the future.
ARMON RETURNS TO UK FISHING MARKET
With the delivery of vivier crabber Frank Henry to its owners in southern England, Astilleros Armon celebrates the 26th vessel built at the yard for the UK and Irish fi shing fl eets, reports Phil Lockley
Now in operation after being delivered earlier this summer, Frank Henry DH-181 joins Edward Henry DH-100, which was built at the same yard almost twenty years ago.
“We are very pleased to deliver this vessel to a repeat owner. As it is common for Armon, this boat has been tailor made to meet with all requirements from the owner. This marks over two dozen fishing vessels built by Astilleros Armon for owners in Britain and Ireland and we hope to continue this trend in the future,” said the yard’s commercial director Ricardo Garcia.
“The owners are delighted with the vessel,” he added.
Frank Henry has a 22 metre overall length with a 7.30 metre beam and a 3.95 metre moulded depth, has been designed by Astilleros Armon and built at its Navia yard.
It has 45 cubic metres of vivier tank capacity, and a deck layout based on the owner’s ideas and long experience of crab fishing. The deck hardware is a two-tonne Britannia SW slave hauler.
The owners opted for a company local to them to supply the electronics. The package of equipment is mainly from Furuno, plus a Navitron autopilot, Sailor VHF sets and a Thrane Satphone installed by Globe Marine..
The main engine is a 660hp Caterpillar C32 driving an 1800mm, four-bladed CPP propeller via a ZF gearbox with a reduction of 6:1. The gearbox comes with a PTO. Auxiliary engines are a pair of 100kW Caterpillar C7.1s powering 125kVa alternators.
According to Astilleros Armon’s UK and Ireland agent Terry Ekers, the arrival of Frank Henry has attracted a great deal of interest from the shellfish fleet and further orders are already being discussed.
“Frank Henry is a tribute to the yard, and that extends to all vessels built by Astilleros Armon. Two very important facts are that the Frank Henry was completed on time – in truth its launch was a couple of weeks before the contract date. Secondly, the final price was exactly the price quoted. Fishermen cannot expect to sign a contract on one day to be given a higher bill on completion of the build. Such practice does not happen with Astilleros Armon,” he said, adding that he has been the yard’s agent for three decades and has seen many fishing vessels, workboats and small ships leave its yards.
“I never stop admiring the quality of the build.”
He commented that with the downturn in newbuilds for the European fishing market some years ago, he had decided to retire.
“But it wasn’t long before I returned to work. A significant increase in new builds is now taking place and Astilleros Armon remain a shipyard that a growing number of UK and Irish skippers may choose for a new build,” he said, predicting an upturn in confidence among UK and Irish fishermen.
8 New crabber
Frank Henry on sea trials before leaving Armon’s Navia yard
