Tag: Environmental impact

Reports

Optimization of salmonid bleeding and its effect on product quality and environment

Published:

08/06/2020

Authors:

Gunnar Þórðarson, Hildur Inga Sveinsdóttir, Sigurjón Arason

Supported by:

Environmental Fund for Aquaculture (ANR18011143), Rannís

Contact

Gunnar Þórðarson

Regional Manager

gunnar.thordarson@matis.is

Optimization of salmonid bleeding and its effect on product quality and environment

There is a great deal of experience and knowledge in the best way of bleeding cod, but residual blood in fillets is considered a quality problem; both in terms of appearance and as a result, residual blood causes storage during storage. One of the goals of the project was to improve the bleeding of salmonids, but it was not possible to complete it as no further funding was available. 

Salmon farming is an environmentally friendly protein production and it is important to minimize the environmental impact of the production. One of the goals of the project was to develop equipment for purifying processing water before it is returned to nature. New equipment has been installed at Arnarlax, but the company is a partner in the project.

Preliminary studies were carried out to develop future value from materials in processing water, and the task of the future will be to complete that work.   

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Reports

FiltreX water purifier / RoteX Water filtering

Published:

01/12/2013

Authors:

Gunnar Þórðarson, Albert Högnason, Albert Haraldsson.

Supported by:

Westfjords Growth Agreement

Contact

Gunnar Þórðarson

Regional Manager

gunnar.thordarson@matis.is

FiltreX water purifier / RoteX Water filtering

The most important product of 3X Technology is RoteX equipment, which is used in food processing around the world as a bleeding device, for cooling and thawing fish for processing. The equipment is water-intensive and customers have contacted 3X Technology about the possibility of recycling processing water, as water costs are significant in many food production. Increased emphasis on environmental issues is also having an effect, and increased requirements can be expected regarding the utilization of processing water and its discharge after use into the environment. To solve this problem, the company has designed a prototype of cleaning equipment, FiltreX, as no suitable equipment has been found on the market to meet these needs. The equipment was tested in Kampa Ísafjörður's shrimp processing plant and HG fish processing plant in Hnífsdalur. The equipment worked well to purify effluent from these factories and a significant amount of protein was captured before the water was released into the sea. Measurements of organic substances were disappointing as it was not possible to show a significant reduction with COD measurements. There is a great deal of contradiction in these results and it is clear that further research is needed on the effects of filtration on wastewater with regard to environmental impact, ie organic matter before and after filtration. An application has been made for a grant to TÞS which will be used for further research if the result is positive. It is clear, however, that capturing proteins with FiltreX can generate significant revenue for shrimp fish processing.

3X Technology's most important product is the RoteX machine, used mainly in food production around the world as bleeding equipment, for cooling and thawing of fish for processing. The machine is water intensive and customers have urged 3X Technology's to find a solution for recycling processing water, as use of water is becoming more expensive, as well as the intensive environmental concern for disposal of waste water. To solve this problem, the company has developed a prototype of filtration equipment, FiltreX, since a suitable solution to meet these needs has not been found on the market. The device was tested in Kampishrimp ‐ factory in Isafjordur and HG fish ‐ factory in Hnifsdalur. The equipment functioned well for filtering effluent water from these plants, and a significant amount of protein was captured before the water was discharged into the sea. Measurements of organic offscouring gave a disappointing disillusionment and failed to significantly reduce COD measurements. A major contradiction liesin these results and it is clear that there needsto be further research on these matters, ie to lower organic material between before and after filtration. Application for further subsidy to TÞS will be used for further research if the results will be positive. It is clear, however, that the capture of proteins with FiltreX can provide significant revenue for the shrimp ‐ processing plants.

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Reports

Utilization of slag with regard to environmental impact

Published:

01/03/2012

Authors:

Ragnheiður Sveinþórsdóttir, Hólmfríður Hartmannsdóttir, Ólafur Ögmundarson

Supported by:

Fisheries Project Fund

Utilization of slag with regard to environmental impact

The aim of the project was to investigate whether the marine environment is utilizing the slag that fishing vessels throw into the sea when fish are gutted on board, also to investigate whether the slag can be utilized profitably and whether it has a more positive effect on nature. The results are that the amount of slag that was released in the experiment anywhere during the experiment and therefore the project fulfilled its goals. However, more research is needed in this area to be able to estimate how much the ocean can absorb without causing problems with organic eutrophication.

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Reports

Development of industrialized cod farming: Control of growth and sexual maturation with advanced lighting equipment / Improved lighting technology for regulating sexual maturation of farmed cod

Published:

01/11/2009

Authors:

Rannveig Björnsdóttir, Jónína Þ Jóhannsdóttir, Jón Árnason, Þorleifur Eiríksson, Cristian Gallo, Böðvar Þórisson, Þorleifur Ágústsson, Björn Þrándur Björnsson, Guðbjörg Stella Árnadóttir

Supported by:

AVS Fisheries Research Fund

Development of industrialized cod farming: Control of growth and sexual maturation with advanced lighting equipment / Improved lighting technology for regulating sexual maturation of farmed cod

The overall goal of the project was to improve farming techniques in cod farming with the use of a new type of light in the goal of controlling the sexual maturity of cod. These are lights that emit a single wavelength that is better distributed over the aqueous phase compared to halogen lights that are traditionally used, and this new type of light has proven to be very effective in preliminary research. It was also investigated whether light control immediately at the juvenile stage could possibly contribute to this effect in the heifer fire. Continuous treatment with the lights at the juvenile stage did not affect the juveniles' growth, but there were indications of fewer growth defects in the juveniles. However, light control at the juvenile stage seemed to have a negative effect on the growth of the fish after transport to sea cages, in addition to which there were many unexplained declines in that group. Light control of fish in cages had a positive effect on the growth of the fish compared to fish kept during the natural light cycle in sea cage farming. The project also developed and standardized new methods for measuring the concentration of growth hormones in cod, and the method proved to be both sensitive and safe. The relationship between growth rate and concentration of growth hormone in the blood of the fish could not be demonstrated in this study, but the method offers great future potential in studies of, for example, the growth rate of wild cod. The project also carried out a detailed study of the effects of seaweed farming on the diversity and species composition of benthic fauna under pens. Extensive changes in the species composition of benthic animals were observed despite a small load associated with fire in the pens over a three-year period.

The overall aim of the project was to improve cod farming technology by delaying sexual maturation of cod by the use of a new lighting technology. The novel lights emit only one wavelength that is more effectively dispersed in water compared to the metal halogen lights traditionally used. Continuous manipulation using the novel light technology during the juvenile stage did not affect fish growth or survival. Indications of reduced frequency of deformities were however observed in this group. Light manipulation during the juvenile stage was further found to negatively affect fish growth following transfer to sea cages and significantly higher unexplained loss of fish was observed in this group. Continuous light manipulation during on growing in sea cages resulted in significantly improved growth of the fish compared with fish exposed to ambient light. New methods were furthermore developed for measuring the concentration of growth hormones in cod. A relationship between fish growth and the concentration of growth hormones could not be established. The method however provides an important tool for future studies of the growth of eg wild cod. Detailed studies of species diversity in bottom layers below the sea cages were also carried out, revealing extensive changes in species composition during the three-year study.

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Reports

Solutions due to environmental impact during stroke release

Published:

01/09/2007

Authors:

Heimir Tryggvason, Guðrún Anna Finnbogadóttir

Supported by:

AVS Fisheries Research Fund

Solutions due to environmental impact during stroke release

In recent years and decades, satisfactory solutions to sludge discharge have been sought. Considerable emphasis has been placed on finding ways to process the slug into usable products that could be sold. This work has mainly been done by individuals, organizations and institutions. In this connection, one can mention plans for digestion from slag to feed production, but these experiments were well under way in the mid-1980s. It can be said that the problem with slag processing is twofold. The slag is damaged very quickly, which makes it difficult to use it in certain products. Secondly, the transport cost is high compared to the value of the product made from slag. The way in which slag is discharged varies greatly from one situation to another, but the growing emphasis on environmental issues in recent years has fueled old ideas about the utilization of slag.

In recent years, a considerable effort has been made to ensure a proper disposal of viscera from fish processing. The emphasis has been on processes that could return a marketable product. In the late 20th Century a lot of this work was focused on silage production. There are mainly two major problems with regard to the processing of viscera: Firstly, viscera spoils very rapidly, which makes it difficult to use in many products. Secondly, the cost of transportation is very high compared to the value of the products processed from viscera. Handling of viscera is very diverse in different places but increased emphasis on environmental issues has raised the issue of utilization again.

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