A brand-new testing facility for fish species monitoring using artificial intelligence (AI) has just opened in Hirtshals. The facility was launched by DTU Aqua, Denmark’s National Institute for Aquatic Resources.
In June, they invited experts from across Europe to see the new test hall in action.
The test setup mimics how fish get sorted on board fishing vessels. Cameras scan the catch, while AI systems automatically identify the species. This innovation could change how fishing is monitored—helping both the industry and the environment.
New Tech, New Opportunities
“This technology has huge potential,” says Jordan P. Feekings, senior researcher and section leader at DTU Aqua. “It can support sustainable fishing by giving us better data—faster and more accurately.”
The test facility will be central to ongoing research projects, including the Danish TEFIMO project and the EU’s OptiFish initiative. Both aim to improve fishery practices by using better monitoring tools.
From Sea to Screen
To prepare for the workshop, DTU Aqua’s fishing vessel, Havfisken, went to sea to catch a sample haul. Back onshore, researchers sorted the fish by species, measured, weighed, and tagged them.
These fish were then run through the test facility, where high-tech cameras and AI systems recorded their features and automatically identified species. The results were promising—accurate and fast.
International Teamwork
The workshop gathered scientists in fields like fisheries, machine learning, camera technology, and DNA analysis. Teams from Belgium’s ILVO and the Netherlands’ Wageningen University joined the Danish researchers to collect data and refine the AI systems.
DTU Aqua’s Valentina Melli led the collection of test data under real-world conditions. She said the datasets will be crucial to compare manual sampling, electronic monitoring, and DNA-based techniques.
“It was exciting to see how different projects came together,” Melli added.
Smarter Fishing Ahead
The new facility is a leap forward for innovative fishing technologies. By using AI to monitor catches, the industry could reduce bycatch, protect vulnerable species, and make more informed decisions at sea.
The collaboration also shows how science and technology can join forces to protect marine life—without slowing down the fishing industry.