Less than a year after its inception, the Vigo-based innovation hub Fishing Accelerator has demonstrated the results of projects developed with Pescapuerta, Orpagu, Mascato and Opromar, using the Conxemar exhibition to showcase its work. Between them, these partners are responsible for around a hundred fishing vessels, a processing capacity of around 35,000 tonnes and approximately 110,000 tonnes of seafood sold in more than 80 countries.
Since its launch January, Fishing Accelerator’s team have sought out innovative technology relevant to energy efficiency, information technology systems, new materials, efficient and selective fishing gear, detection and elimination of parasites, neutralisation of heavy metals and foreign elements, robotics, automatic grading systems, utilisation of by-products and discards, information management systems, logistics and supply improvements, and optimisation of the cold chain.
This unique development acceleration programme is designed to connect innovative technology startups around the world with companies that are already established in the fishing industry.
The La Guarda longliners’ organisation Orpagu discussed the results of its collaboration with Bound4Blue, a company that has designed an smart system of sails as a way of providing complementary and clean propulsion. Orpagu president Joaquín Cadilla, expressed his satisfaction with the first results of this project which consists of the implementation of a rigid wingsail designed to provide fishing vessels with supplementary propulsion as a way of reducing fuel consumption, reducing both costs and emissions.
Opromar, which represents Fresh Producers of the Port and Ría de Marín is working with Natural Machines, the developers of a 3D printing system, to add value to discards and species that normally fetch only low prices. Opromar managing director Juan Carlos Martín Fragueiro said that they are also working with British company Impact Vision to make use of innovative technology that will allow the freshness of fish to be determined with complete reliability, starting with hake.
Fishing company Pescapuerta has launched two innovation projects in collaboration with Palinox and Avanzare.
One is along largely traditional lines and the other is in the field of nanotechnology. Jorge Vello from Pescapuerta stated that while the company is very pleased with progress so far, it is too early to reveal the exact nature of its development work in this sector.
The presentation of the results of the Fishing Accelerator was attended by representatives of various bodies, including Vigo’s mayor Abel Caballero, director general of Innovation of the Consellería of Economy, Employment and Industry Patricia Argerey, and Deputy Director General of Fisheries Economy at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment Aurora de Blas, as well as representatives of key companies from Galicia’s fisheries and food sectors.
Following the success to date of the Fishing Accelerator, it was announced that a second round will be open in January to more companies.
