Zeitschrift für Aquakulturforschung und -entwicklung

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Aquaculture Sentinels: Smart-farming with Biosensor Equipped Stock

Andrewartha SJ *,Elliott NG ,McCulloch JW ,Frappell PB

Aquaculture is globally the fastest growing primary industry (>6% per annum). Smart-farming, using sentinel animals equipped with miniature biosensors alongside environmental sensors and farm management systems has the potential to revolutionize all sectors of the industry. Real-time animal and environmental monitoring together, will support improved farm management decisions, animal welfare, social awareness and consequently sustainable productivity. Biosensors that monitor the physiology and behavior of sentinel animals provide information on animal well-being and its responses to environmental change and management actions. In turn, this information is extrapolated to help with stock management decisions. This paper introduces the sentinel animal concept to commercial aquaculture with a case study using oysters fitted with biosensors that measure heart rate, and other parameters. We demonstrate how sentinel animals can be effectively integrated alongside environmental sensors into an on-farm sensor network and decision support system.