Navigating the Future: Strategic Management of a Mobile Aquaculture System With Receding-Horizon Control

Ajit C. Pillai*, Ian G.C. Ashton, Lars Johanning, Denham G. Cook, Ross Vennell, Suzanne E. Black

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceedings published in a bookpeer-review

Abstract

The New Zealand-based Whakapōhewa ki ahumoana Reimagining Aquaculture project (funded by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment Endeavour Fund) lead by Plant & Food Research, is designing a mobile aquaculture system for finfish, towed by an autonomous vessel, powered by renewable energy sources. This work presents the vessel management strategy for this mobile aquaculture solution, inspired by receding-horizon control, which uses available weather forecasts to minimize the energy consumption by the autonomous vessel while maintaining an optimal flow speed through the fish enclosure such that the optimal biological conditions (e.g. swim speed) for the fish can be maintained. The simulations performed for a generalized salmonid fish species cultured in Tasman Bay, New Zealand show that the food storage capacity of the autonomous vessel is consistently a limiting factor at low swim speeds (≤ 0.4 m s−1), while energy capacity limits at higher swim speeds. The simulations highlight how such a strategy allows the system to successfully shelter from storms and by virtue of going further from its “safe haven” can maintain optimal conditions for the fish through the enclosure. We anticipate this work to be a starting point for more sophisticated management strategies considering engineering criteria, species specific requirements, and environmental parameters such as temperature and water quality that impact fish welfare explicitly.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPhilip Liu Honoring Symposium on Water Wave Mechanics and Hydrodynamics; Blue Economy Symposium
PublisherThe American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME)
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9780791887875
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Aug 2024
EventASME 2024 43rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, OMAE 2024 - Singapore, Singapore
Duration: 9 Jun 202414 Jun 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings of the International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering - OMAE
Volume9

Conference

ConferenceASME 2024 43rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, OMAE 2024
Country/TerritorySingapore
CitySingapore
Period9/06/2414/06/24

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ocean Engineering
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering

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