Founded in 2018, US-based Manolin is a software and data analytics company that builds disease detection models to improve sustainability in aquaculture. This week the company announced breakthrough progress with its machine learning software that detects the risk of disease on aquaculture farms, with a claim of more than 93% accuracy.
Historically, despite the existence of some academic models for predicting aquaculture disease, Norwegian farmers have had to rely on visual signs or simple intuition to make decisions on the farm. With a prediction level of more than 93% accuracy, Manolin’s software now helps to make better decisions than any previous model. This bridges the gap between research and enterprise technology, enabling farmers to use it in their everyday farm operations.
“Development of new technology is critical to improve the resource efficiency of farming operations and reduce negative impacts on marine wildlife,” says Robert Jones, Global Lead of Aquaculture at The Nature Conservancy.
Pests and disease treatment are a growing cost and environmental concern
Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production sector and now provides more than half of global fish consumption. Pests and disease treatment are a growing cost and environmental concern. Norway alone spends an estimated $1 billion annually fighting pancreas disease in its farmed salmon. Manolin’s forecasting technology targets solving disease as critical in building a sustainable future food system.
“COVID-19 showed us that it’s more important than ever to build resilient seafood supply chains. When it’s done well, aquaculture can bring nutrient-rich protein to more communities through one of the least resource-intensive forms of food production,” says Håvard Olsen, owner at third-generation Atlantic salmon farm Kvarøy Arctic. “Manolin is breaking down barriers in data to help us reach this.”
Manolin’s machine learning software, now available to farmers across Norway, is fueled by millions of data points including the health status of the country’s 400 million active farmed salmon, more than 50 daily environmental and farm production factors, marine sensors, satellite imagery, boat traffic, oceanographic forecasts, and more than two decades of historic data.
Current customers represent some of the most innovative and sustainable fish farms in the world, producing fish for stores across the U.S. including Whole Foods Market (Kvarøy Arctic), Costco, and Sam’s Club.
