OTAQ Group Ltd is delighted to announce the further acquisition of its innovative Live Plankton Analysis System (LPAS) by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency.

Recently launched by OTAQ, LPAS is a powerful tool designed to aid farmers in combating the growing threat of Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs). This advanced system integrates specialised AI technology to automate the identification and quantification of harmful algae, significantly improving the accuracy and frequency of monitoring processes. By streamlining these tasks, LPAS not only saves time but also helps standardise industry practices, marking a significant advancement in safeguarding aquaculture against devastating HAB events.

Damien Toner, Aquatech Business Manager at BIM, commented on the collaboration, stating, “A key part of BIM’s role in supporting the growth and sustainability of Ireland’s seafood industry is to assess and promote new technologies that will assist farmers in managing their operational risks and efficiencies. Following trials of LPAS Beta units during 2023, we see the vital benefits LPAS brings in streamlining and enhancing algae monitoring in production areas. Therefore, we are pleased to be progressing our relationship with OTAQ to the benefit of Irish farms.”

LPAS units will be deployed in Ireland throughout the 2024 season.

Aquaculture Industry Faces Increased Threat from Harmful Algal Blooms

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) have emerged as a significant threat to aquaculture operations worldwide, with devastating impacts on fish stocks. In some cases, a single bloom can wipe out an entire farm’s fish population, leading to severe financial losses. To combat this growing threat, aquaculture farms have traditionally relied on routine, daily monitoring to detect and respond to HABs early. However, this approach comes with significant challenges.

Challenges in Current Algal Monitoring

The conventional methods for detecting harmful algae require considerable time and expertise, often pulling team members away from other essential duties. Identifying microscopic algae is complex, with potential for misidentifications and errors, even among trained professionals. Additionally, as individual farms or companies often handle monitoring independently, the lack of standardisation across the industry complicates the process further.

“LPAS provides an extremely valuable tool for farmers to combat the rising threat of Harmful Algae Blooms”

An Innovative Solution for Aquaculture Safety

To address these challenges, OTAQ has developed the Live Plankton Analysis System (LPAS), an automated algal identification system that employs artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and quantify harmful algae. OTAQ has collaborated with Canadian machine learning experts Blue Lion and algae specialists, supported by the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), CENSIS, and the University of Aberdeen.

Global Industry Collaboration and Data Collection

To ensure LPAS’s effectiveness, OTAQ embarked on a global image collection program, collaborating with over 20 aquaculture market partners, including industry bodies, academia, and farmers in Scotland, Ireland, Chile, Norway, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This initiative resulted in the collection of over 80,000 live images, providing a robust dataset to train the AI model within LPAS for accurate and consistent identification and quantification of harmful algae.

Beta Testing and Industry Feedback

Following the extensive data collection, OTAQ initiated a comprehensive Beta testing phase, deploying 20 LPAS Beta units to various sites during peak algae seasons. This testing provided crucial feedback, allowing OTAQ to refine the system and ensure its compatibility with marine farm environments.

LPAS: Integration and Functionality in Aquaculture Monitoring

The LPAS has been designed with direct input from industry stakeholders to ensure it meets the unique demands of marine farm environments. This innovative system integrates seamlessly with existing farm infrastructure, considering current industry practices and environmental factors.

LPAS streamlines on-site operations, reducing the time commitment required from farm teams while boosting accuracy in identifying and quantifying harmful algal species. By standardising the monitoring of harmful algae, LPAS helps farms better manage the risks associated with HABs.

Key Features and Benefits of LPAS

LPAS offers a comprehensive set of features and benefits that make it a standout solution for aquaculture monitoring:

• Automatic Detection of Harmful Algae: LPAS can accurately detect 15 different target harmful algal groups. Its capabilities are continuously expanding through ongoing training and new phytoplankton images.
• Accurate Identification and Quantification: In addition to identification, LPAS provides counts and calculates the concentration of each algal group. All results are captured and logged within the LPAS analysis software for further examination.
• Detailed Data Recording and Analysis: The LPAS software records and presents collected phytoplankton results, allowing users to analyse and compare current data with historical trends.
• Customisable Alert Thresholds: Users can set personalised alert thresholds based on the concentration of specific algal groups, providing a flexible and tailored approach to monitoring.
• High-Resolution Imagery: LPAS records high-resolution images of collected water samples, which can be used for both AI-based and manual analysis. This feature enhances accuracy and helps validate the AI model’s results.
• Integrated Identification Guide: LPAS includes a comprehensive guide and measurement tools to assist operators in identifying all phytoplankton, including those not yet in the AI model.
• Secure Data Access: Users can securely access results, history, and images locally on the LPAS system or remotely via a cloud portal, providing flexibility and ease of access to important data.

With these features and benefits, LPAS represents a powerful tool for aquaculture farms to combat the growing threat of harmful algae and improve the safety and sustainability of their operations.

A Transformative Impact on Aquaculture Safety

OTAQ believes LPAS represents a breakthrough in aquaculture safety, offering a practical solution for detecting harmful algae, saving time, enhancing accuracy, and providing a standardised approach across the aquaculture industry. This technology is poised to play a vital role in reducing the risk of catastrophic fish kill events caused by HABs.

Recognition and Future Outlook

LPAS has garnered significant attention within the aquaculture industry, earning a nomination for the Aquaculture Award for Innovation at the 2024 Aquaculture Awards in Aviemore, Scotland. As OTAQ continues to expand the capabilities of LPAS and collaborate with industry partners, the system is set to become a cornerstone in safeguarding aquaculture against the escalating threat of Harmful Algal Blooms.

Contact us today to learn how LPAS can transform your aquaculture monitoring, ensuring a safer and more sustainable future for your operations. Don’t wait for the next harmful algal bloom to threaten your business. Act today to protect your farm, your fish, and your future with LPAS.

As part of OTAQ’s growth strategy, we are delighted to welcome three new faces to OTAQ to aid in unlocking new market areas and geographic regions for OTAQ’s products and technologies as well as the continued development of operational capabilities, processes, and personnel.

Will Buchan and Philip Pearson will be joining OTAQ UK, and Paulina Oyarzún will be the newest member of OTAQ Chile.

These new experts bring with them a combined total of 45 years of experience in the industry, and we are looking forward to tapping into their expertise in order to continue OTAQ’s growth.

PHILIP

Phil is coming into OTAQ as Group Operations Manager, working across the entire company to coordinate production activities and the continued development of our capabilities and employees. Bringing with him over 25 years of experience in the offshore industry and handling a variety of projects from £20k – £7.5m, Phil is no stranger to handling multiple projects and managing several departments and processes.

WILL

Will’s 14 years of industry experience in international markets sets him up perfectly for his role as Business Development Manager at OTAQ. Will’s focus will be on the further development of global geographic markets for OTAQ’s Offshore energy-related products, including class-leading subsea leak detection technology OceanSense, power-over-Internet ethernet cameras, lights and integration devices for survey and inspection ROVs and sledges, as well as OTAQ’s UK-made underwater connectors and penetrators.

PAULINA

Paulina is joining OTAQ’s Chile team in Puerto Montt to support administration control and sales activities. She brings with her extensive experience in commercial planning, marketing, international affairs, and managing sales channels, making her a valuable new addition who enhances the local capabilities of the team.

Phil Newby, OTAQ’s CEO, is looking forward to welcoming these talented new members to the team:
“Our new members are coming in at an exciting time where we are experiencing a growing demand for our existing products in buoyant market conditions, as well as our exciting new product developments coming close to launching. They all will be joining as part of our business strategy, adding further resources to focus on areas where we recognise there is potential for sizeable growth for our products and technologies.”

OTAQ look forward to continuing to consistently improve our team, our processes and our technologies to provide world-class services to our customers.

We will be in touch with new updates soon!

OTAQ’s AI LPAS technology provides early warning of algae blooms by automatically identifying harmful phytoplankton species.

OTAQ’s Live Plankton Analysis System (LPAS) automatically identifies phytoplankton around marine aquaculture sites that could potentially result in Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) and negatively impact fish health. We have recently had an article featured in Fish Farmer magazine’s March 2023 issue about our LPAS system, with more information below.

“Early warnings of algae blooms can make all the difference.”

Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) occur when microscopic algal or phytoplankton populations, amplified by environmental factors such as weather conditions and temperature, grow to such levels that they become harmful to surrounding life. These blooms can be particularly problematic for fish gill health and, with global temperatures rising, are becoming a more prevalent challenge for the global fish farming industry. It is why early warnings of algae blooms can make all the difference.

OTAQ’s Live Plankton Analysis System (LPAS) automatically identifies phytoplankton around marine aquaculture sites that could potentially result in Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) and negatively impact fish health. By providing critical and timely information, LPAS enables operators to make early and informed decisions on site-specific mitigation strategies and actions.

The LPAS solution consists of four main components:

• AI Engine
• Imaging Hardware
• Analysis and user interface software
• Connectivity and data storage

AI ENGINE

The AI Engine detects specified individual phytoplankton genus with a confidence level greater than 80% and provides the cell concentration of each. Working with industry-based microbiologists and academia, lists of phytoplankton genus of most concern have been identified per region.

“The system is stand-alone, reliable and easy to install and use”

IMAGING HARDWARE

Stand-alone, reliable, and easy to install and use, the imaging hardware enables the operator to quickly capture the digital images of local water samples and pass them to the analysis software. It does this by combining a laboratory-grade microscope with a megapixel digital camera which is linked to the AI engine.

“The LPAS takes into consideration the need to function on both well-connected and remote sites.”

ANALYSIS AND USER INTERFACE SOFTWARE

The analysis and user interface software alerts on the presence of specific species that are a concern in that region. A clear traffic light system lets site operators know if there is an issue, and they can review more detailed data if required. All data is logged and recorded, allowing trends to be tracked.

CONNECTIVITY AND DATA STORAGE

LPAS can be configured to suit the level of internet connectivity and takes into consideration the need to function on both well-connected and remote sites. Images and results data collected by the LPAS are automatically stored locally and in the OTAQ cloud for presentation and analysis.

“It Is anticipated that the system will be a powerful tool for fish farmers.”

The LPAS provides an easy and reliable method to gather immediate and accurate information on potential HAB risks. It is anticipated that the system will be a powerful tool for fish farmers.

CLICK HERE to read the full article, or for further information, please send any enquiries to [email protected].

OTAQ Group Expands Customer Facing Team with Appointment of Beth Holmes As Internal Sales Coordinator.

OTAQ is proud to announce the hiring of Beth Holmes as their new Internal Sales Coordinator. With over five years of experience in Revenue Analysis & Demand Forecast, she will be a valuable asset to our company with her knowledge and understanding of data-aided decision-making processes and strategy development.

Beth has a proven record of being responsible for performance against budget, analysing data to understand future demand forecasts, historical trends, and competitive set activity, and translating this information into actionable recommendations and strategies to achieve budgeted revenue and company goals.

Richard Beesley, CCO at OTAQ Group, says: “It’s not just her background that makes Beth so perfect for the role of Internal Sales Coordinator.  She will bring a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to expand our Commercial department, which is oriented towards improving customer satisfaction through streamlining order process & tracking all sales within OTAQ group .”

Beth also commented: “I am thrilled to be a part of this team. I look forward to bringing fresh eyes and ideas to help pinpoint areas where we need improvement and creating clear tracking systems and reports for all sales and rentals.”

Beth will be based out of OTAQ’s Ulverston office, and she will lead the Internal Commercial Department’s harmonisation with the other departments for leaner and faster company coordination.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Gareth Hammond as Business Development Manager for OTAQ’s Aquaculture division as part of our continued commercial expansion strategy.

Gareth, who joins us from Vaki where he was managing their fish counter and net pen aeration UK and Ireland business for over five years, said “My focus is to promote and grow the Aquaculture business for OTAQ’s expanding product portfolio within the industry globally. OTAQ’s approach towards innovative technology and collaborative working with customers to find practical solutions that improve their operational efficiencies are key reasons for me wanting to join the OTAQ team. I look forward to getting involved.”

Our Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Beesley, who joined OTAQ in August 2021 said, “Gareth’s appointment is an important step in our overall growth strategy for the Aquaculture market. With his wealth of knowledge and experience in fish farming technologies and operations, as well as his enthusiasm to bring innovative solutions to market, Gareth is a great fit and we are very pleased to have him join the team.”

As well as expanding sales on OTAQ’s existing products such as our acoustic deterrent system Sealfence,  underwater IP cameras and laser measurement systems, Gareth will be focused on the  introduction of exciting new OTAQ marine technologies that will be coming to the market within the next 12 months.

For any queries relating to our product range and sales please contact [email protected]

26/01/2022

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Eagle IP Vision. A brand-new product set to fill a gap in OTAQ’s offering, Eagle IP Vision is an addition to the current Eagle IP range which will enable users to record video for underwater HD cameras.

Complimenting our existing Eagle IP system, the new piece of kit is a portable recording system compatible with our existing Eagle IP HD underwater cameras designed for use in harsh environments, complete with a robust, waterproof multi-point touch-pad. The Haptic feedback enables the system to be fully operational in all weather conditions.

Eagle IP vision has been engineered for operation in open boats and on back decks of larger vessels, and is designed around an industry-standard PELI case that is fully IP65 waterproof rated when open (IP67 when closed).

The Eagle IP Vision will give users the ability to deploy the market-leading system capturing footage from some of the world’s harshest, most remote environments, and is set to benefit a long list of industries including offshore energy, pipeline inspection, Aquaculture for seabed surveys and general underwater inspection i.e moorings and nets, and onshore operations such as public utilities and hydro dams.

Chris Hyde, Chief Technology Offer, OTAQ, said: “Our highly experienced engineering team has brought this technology to life over the past year, and we are please to be able to offer this new product to complete our Eagle IP system”.

“Innovation is at the forefront of everything we do, and this latest addition bolsters our position as global experts in underwater technology.”

For more information about OTAQ please visit www.offshore.otaq.com

OTAQ, the marine technology products and solutions group for the global aquaculture and offshore oil and gas industries, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the trade and assets of ROS Technology Limited (“ROS Technology”).

OTAQ has acquired the trade and assets of ROS Technology for a consideration of up to £300,000 to be satisfied from existing cash resources (the “Acquisition”). The Acquisition consideration comprises initial consideration of £225,000 and up to a further £75,000 of deferred consideration, payable in two instalments of £37,500 over the next two years, subject to certain criteria.

Founded and managed by Dr Peter Robinson, ROS Technology is an innovative technology business which specialises in electronics and mechanical design in multiple industries including aquaculture and offshore. The Acquisition will add existing revenue generating contracts and greatly enhance OTAQ’s aquaculture R&D capability as the Company looks to broaden its product offering.

As part of the Acquisition, Peter will join the Company and have responsibility for the continued development of the acquired ROS Technology products as well as joining the existing OTAQ R&D team. A technology innovator for over 40 years and formerly a founder of OTAQ and designer of the original SealFence product, Peter is well known to the Directors of OTAQ and has recently assisted the Company in its work with the US aquaculture company, Minnowtech LLP.

For the unaudited year ended 30 June 2020, ROS Technology generated revenues of approximately £312,000 and made a profit before tax of approximately £152,000. As at 30 June 2020, its unaudited gross assets amounted to approximately £196,000.

Commenting on the Acquisition, Phil Newby, Chief Executive at OTAQ, said:

“We are very pleased to welcome Peter back to OTAQ through the acquisition of his business, ROS Technology. Peter is well known to the Directors of OTAQ and has a first-class track record for developing ground breaking technologies.  At a time where OTAQ is broadening its product and service portfolio to a global client base looking for competitive advantage in its markets, this is an exciting addition to our research and development capability.”

OTAQ Group, a UK based marine technology group operating around the world in the aquaculture and offshore energy sectors, announced today that it had completed the acquisition of Marinesense Ltd.

Marinesense are world leaders in underwater leak detection and precision laser measurement systems for the offshore energy industry.  They are considered specialists in underwater optics, lasers and video systems and have been operating since 2007 from their base in Aberdeen, UK.

Going forward Marinesense will become part of OTAQ Offshore with all their products becoming available directly from OTAQ in Aberdeen or through a network of partners around the world.

Marinesense’s core product is Oceansense which has over the last 12 years become the industry standard in underwater leak cement return detection.  The system is used around the world to detect leaks in hydraulic control lines on subsea production structures or to detect dye in cement during well completions.   The system is used by many of the world’s biggest offshore and subsea operators including Oceaneering, Subsea 7, Rever, Halliburton, Fugro and Technip FMC

Dr Harry Rotsch, founder and managing director of Marinesense said “We have been considering for some time what the best route for Marinesene to reach its full potential was.  It was very important to me that we ended up with new owners who shared both our values and our product vision and I am very happy that we have found that in OTAQ Group.”  Harry will continue as Technical Director for the OTAQ Offshore division.

Phil Newby, CEO of OTAQ Group said   “The acquisition of Marinesense is a very important milestone in the growth of OTAQ Group and will allow our Offshore division to provide a range of world class underwater technology products with an incredible track record. We are very excited about several new products that are in the pipeline and how the expanded team will enhance our engineering resource across the group.”

OTAQ Offshore will be based from its new facilities within Campus Two of Aberdeen Innovation Park.

OTAQ, a Scottish company designing and manufacturing technology for the global fish farming industry, has been announced as one of the biggest winners of the Scottish Edge awards, with a prize of £100,000.

The competition, aimed at identifying and supporting Scotland’s up-and-coming, innovative and entrepreneurial talent invited OTAQ to pitch at the finals of the event in Edinburgh this week where over £1.27million in grants and loans was awarded.

The Oban based firm scooped £100,000 after Commercial Director Chris Hyde led the firm’s pitch on their launch product, an innovative new deterrent system called SealFENCE which uses unique underwater acoustic technology to prevent seals from attacking marine sites.

With estimates that seal and sea lion losses can be as much as 10% of production in many areas, SealFENCE solves an industry wide problem all in a package designed to operate in the world’s harshest environments.

From 239 original applicants, just 22 of Scotland’s most promising entrepreneurs were invited to pitch their businesses to an expert panel of judges in order to win up to £100,000 each in grant funding and loans. Just 15 of the start-up and growth stage businesses were successful with only OTAQ and two others awarded the full amount applied for.

Chris Hyde, commercial director, OTAQ, said: “This award is going to make a major difference to our company and will mean that we can accelerate our export plans significantly, introduce our product to more markets and recruit more staff this year.

“Our company vision is to become world leaders in aquaculture technology and specifically in acoustic products such as predator control and monitoring systems.  Our key area of expertise lies within underwater acoustics and sonar and we intend to build a reputation as experts in this field within our industry.

Gordon Merrylees, Scottish EDGE board member and Head of Entrepreneurship at Royal Bank of Scotland and Natwest, commented: “the Scottish EDGE has had a huge impact on Scotland’s economy, with our alumni having generated an additional £31.80m in turnover, secured £28.36m in additional investment, and created 641 jobs since receiving their Scottish EDGE funding and support.”

Sir Tom Hunter, renowned Scottish entrepreneur and philanthropist, said: “100% of the net new jobs in the UK will come from businesses less than five years old – the winners at Scottish Edge are the job creators of today… We need to invest in them and nurture them in any way we can to build our economy and to provide the quality jobs our people deserve. We need to build a far greater pipeline of high growth businesses if Scotland is to succeed, Scottish Edge is one critical element of that pipeline and I commend all the entrants – not winners yet – and the winners for their commitment to building great entrepreneurial businesses.”

Chris Hyde of OTAQ, added: “The entire Scottish Edge experience has been invaluable.  The process and feedback from the judges has really makes us focus on our business and how best to communicate what it does; this has put us in very strong position for achieving our vision.”

For more information about Scottish Edge please visit http://www.scotedge.com/about/