Iceland fish farmer signs three-year deal for AI feeding software

Nova Scotia-based technology company ReelData has confirmed a three-year agreement with Icelandic fish farmer Samherji fiskeldi ehf for software services to support improved feeding efficiency via their artificial intelligence (AI) product, ReelAppetite.

After a commercial trial at Samherji’s land-based Arctic char facility, Staður, the company decided last month to scale the technology to all three of its land-based sites in Iceland: two Arctic charr facilities near Reykjavik and an Atlantic salmon site at Öxarfjörður in the north of Iceland.

“Samherji are constantly looking for ways to improve fish performance and production results,” said managing director Jón Kjartan Jónsson. “We consider ReelData to be a significant part of the foundation on which we plan to build more efficient land-based salmon farming going forward, and we are excited to work with such a dedicated team at ReelData to leverage their expertise on AI and integrate that into our routines to become better farmers.”

ReelData said the three-year deal is a milestone for the company, having already secured contracts to supply ReelAppetite software to all units at the Norwegian land-based fish farmer Salmon Evolution, as well as all units at the Florida “Bluehouse” recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility operated by Atlantic Sapphire.

“We’re very excited to be working more closely with Samherji on the back of a trial and a positive experience with ReelAppetite,” said ReelData commercial director Gareth Butterfield.

“Securing Samherji as a ‘flagship’ customer in Iceland is a testament to the ReelAppetite product, the level of service offered by ReelData, and the entrepreneur spirit of Samherji as an early adopter of cutting-edge technology. ReelData are in the industry to build strong relationships with our customers and to work with them as valued partners, and Samherji have been just that.”

ReelData’s ReelAppetite system is said to have demonstrated value in several commercial trials to date where customers benefit from increased specific feeding rate, decreased feed conversion ratio, or a combination of the two to create feeding efficiencies and financial benefits to the customer.

Feeding optimisation

Samherji fiskeldi technical manager Sigurpáll Hjörvar Árnason prompted the move towards AI feeding.

“We have conducted a pilot of ReelData’s ReelAppetite product for over a year at our facility in Staður, Reykjanes. The experience has been very positive, and our team has mastered the AI feeding system,” said Árnason.

“The results demonstrated feeding optimisation and an opportunity for improved farming techniques. The ReelData team provided exceptional support, demonstrating outstanding management and follow-up during the planning and implementation phase, as well as a high level of customer service throughout the operational phase.”

Samherji will use the three-year agreement for ReelAppetite to continue to refine feeding efficiency on all its sites and to support plans for increased biomass in the existing facilities, as the company looks to break ground on a larger site that is planned to produce more than 40,000 tonnes per annum.