Open Ocean Fish farms

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - OCEANFISH (Open Ocean Fish farms)

Okres sprawozdawczy: 2017-08-01 do 2018-11-30

Providing food security to the ever-growing global population is a formidable challenge and fish can play a major role in satisfying this demand. Marine protein consumption has already surpassed the until recently leading protein, beef, and is expected to keep growing by an increasingly prosperous global population that recognizes the health benefits of eating seafood. Demand is forecast to outstrip supply in coming years, wild catch is constantly decreasing and that leaves aquaculture to make up the shortfall. More than half the fish consumed around the world is already farm-grown either inland or in sheltered sites. By raising fish in farms, not only we increase the production volumes, but it also reduces pressure on the ocean fish and allows their population to rejuvenate. However, traditional farming practices overcrowd the fish, feed them massive amounts of antibiotics, and treat them with hormones and pesticides. This has a negative effect not only on the fish itself and as a result on the consumers, but also irreversible damages to the environment, destroying the seabed and marine life.
To overcome all these problems, the open ocean unused territories where the fish are in their optimal growing environment, are inevitably aquacultures next evolutional step.
GiliOcean Technology has developed a system designed for offshore conditions, that can submerge in harsh weather conditions, thus protecting both the fish and the system. Moving deep into the ocean allows us to protect the coasts with a long-term solution and no negative impact on the environment.
OCEANFISH aim was to finalize the development and start the commercialization of the various technologies necessary to transform Gili's existing SUBflex Classic systems to advanced open ocean systems improving growth rates, reducing ecological impact and providing the aquaculture industry with the tools necessary to meet the market demands.
Most technological developments have been completed and tested on a commercial scale in order to prove their commercial feasibility, bringing the company to a much higher level of technical knowledge. Beyond the proof of technological feasibility, we can see that the developments have indeed enhanced performance of the farm.
Taylor made to specific client needs or can be sold as stand-alone, the developed products have already drawn interest and attention from many potential stakeholders.

As one of OCEANFISH project main aims was to finalize the development and start the commercialization of the various technologies necessary to transform Gili's existing SUBflex Classic system to an advanced open ocean system our primary focus was on the R&D improving products performance bringing them closer to market and meeting its demands.
A special remotely controlled and self-powered monitoring system that can submerge into deep water together with the farm. All data is transmitted and stored on the cloud. We have reached an extremely precise product enabling us to accurately predict the fish weight in-situ, a key factor for optimizing feed performance and reducing its cost. Supporting management software was also developed making it possible to perform the data mining and supplying the farmer with suggestions of how to improve the farms efficiency.
A new submerging concept was designed and integrated in the new operating commercial SUBflex system enabling sites of deeper water while simplifying operations. The system and has already withstood with flying success several massive storms in the winters of 2017&2018.
A Joint Venture was established in Israel that has won the country's tender for offshore fish farming based on the technology. Today the company is one of Israel's top marine protein producers and running the world’s largest single array farming system. The farm also acts as a showroom for potential customers, capabilities demonstration and experimental platform for the OCEANFISH project.
GiliOcean has other advanced pipeline projects and is working on to bring about realization. Have made business trips to and hosted the potential partners in Israel. Found local partners, prepared the ground together with local governments and authorities for a smoother bureaucratic and deployment process, conducted feasibility studies, met with investors, funds and banks that have showed high interest in the projects. We have also signed agreements with local agents working for us on the ground to promote our projects.
To create a bigger exposure of the project and company to potential customers and partners we refreshed our image, prepared many new marketing, sales and promotional materials. We have also been very active on several social media platforms and received coverage in the media. All these activities helped us repositioning ourselves as a leading worldwide sustainable aquaculture projects and technology provider brought us leads and approaches from potential stakeholders.
GiliOcean has participated in several aquaculture related events in which we have established many contacts with companies and entities whom with we are still in contact, kept ourselves relevant, ahead of competition, actively involved in the market and aware of its changing needs. It also brought us vast engagement with the industry, potential clients and partners, generating us leads, exposure, business opportunities, more recognition while helping us position GiliOcean as experts and leaders in the field.

At open-sea, fish can grow in their natural habitat where the oxygen level is ideal, and the natural microelements help the fish grow faster and healthier, with negligible use of antibiotics. In addition, fish welfare is improved and stress is reduced to a minimum. Far from coastal pollution and contaminations where water exchange is high, fish can grow in superb water quality.
Due to the SUBFLEX net cage array system design, constant movement of the structure and the combination of bigger depth with stronger currants, we manage to minimize the impact on the seabed and natural marine habitat by dispersing the excessive organic matter in a much larger radius.
The new developed submerging concept enables new farming areas of deeper water. Moving the aquaculture systems further offshore, also frees other nearshore and coastal areas for other uses (such as tourism), providing more space where aquaculture production can expand in order to meet the increasing demand for fish.
GiliOcean promotes social sustainability through its existing and forming projects. Involving and collaborating with local population, engaging relationships with a wide variety of businesses and contributing to a strong aquaculture industry that benefits the country.
Every farming operation creates multiple jobs, promotes local innovation, brings improvements for infrastructure and responsible consumption and production patterns.
Offshore aquaculture is also more productive and economical than most other methods when reaching economies of scale, in terms of building and maintenance costs, fish production costs and fish growth rate. Thus, any GiliOcean project brings greater opportunities for growth and impact as our systems become more suitable and affordable for the thousands of aquaculture operators in developing economies.
Finally, offshore fish farms produce higher quality, nearly antibiotic-free, healthier fish that are easier to market as they can be grown year-round in a predictable manner.

OCEANFISH Concept

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - OCEANFISH (Open Ocean Fish farms)

Udostępnij tę stronę

Pobierz