Krucial fights algal bloom threat with Mowi Ireland

Resilient communications specialist Krucial has deployed cutting edge technology on Mowi’s Portlea Farm, Clare Island, off the west coast of Ireland to support accurate and continuous monitoring of key environmental parameters.

Mowi Ireland is Ireland’s largest producer of farm raised organic Atlantic salmon and is part of Mowi ASA, the world’s leading seafood company. 

Krucial’s Connected Seafarm solution, which went live at the farm in early May 2023, is used by operators to keep a close eye on key parameters for the health and growth of their fish, while alerts can warn of possible algal bloom presence and other indicators of imminent issues. The solution provides operators with the information they need to take early action, reduce unnecessary site visits and optimize use of resources – resulting in smoother operations, better stock performance and reductions in cost.  

Connected Seafarm integrates a suite of sensors used for measuring local weather and water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity. The solution ensures all this data is reliably and securely communicated back to a cloud data storage and dashboard application where it can be viewed on charts and can set alerts and other features that turn sensor data into the valuable insights operators need. 

Krucial is also using this trial to demonstrate a second satellite-enabled technology for Mowi alongside the Connected Seafarm: a dashboard that processes and displays satellite imagery from partners for algal bloom monitoring. Combining these complementary tools allows Mowi to benefit from a fuller overview of conditions across and beyond their farms, thereby better arming Mowi staff against challenges. 

2022 saw higher than usual sea temperature and harmful phytoplankton and zooplankton blooms along the coast of Ireland, so the technologies under trial will be critical in tackling the impact of these issues, which will continue to intensify as climate change causes the oceans to warm. 

Commenting on the deployment, Kevin Quillien, Co-founder and CTO at Krucial, said: “We’re confident that Krucial’s Connected Seafarm can help the aquaculture industry as it continues on its mission to feed the world sustainably. 

“Although already advanced in its use of technology, the sector still battles many unknowns. Algal blooms and other environmental issues continue to cause major headaches for producers around the world and are likely to get worse as a result of climate change. 

“Built on top of our cutting-edge connectivity platform, Connected Seafarm ensures important information keeps flowing and can be depended upon every day. Staff can, at a glance, see where issues are about to occur, react quickly and prevent early warnings from turning into costly issues. 

 “The outcome of a successful digitization should be healthier fish, a happier workforce and more efficient operations – thanks to Krucial, these benefits can be brought to any fish farm, no matter how remote.”   

Catherine McManus, Operations Director Farming (Ireland) at Mowi Ireland said: “Mowi Ireland is looking for novel ways to ensure it has the most accurate and timely environmental data possible.  The warming climate means biological challenges including algal blooms can pose a risk to aquaculture operations.  We look forward to working with Krucial to offset these risks.” 

You can find out more about Krucial Connected Seafarm's Algae Bloom Monitoring Solution at – Algae Bloom Monitoring Solution

Discover more about MOWI Ireland at – Mowi Ireland – Mowi Company Website