Nephrops prototype machine - Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability

NEPHROPS PROTOTYPE MACHINE

WHAT IS THE NEPHROPS PROTOTYPE MACHINE PROJECT?

Nephrops is an important fishery for UK seafood, providing scampi and langoustine. A coalition of businesses have come together with a shared aim to find a solution to challenges facing UK nephrops supply chains.

The project will develop an onboard nephrops stunning and tailing machine; the ability to stun and tail nephrops at sea will bring significant improvements to the fishery, including to the welfare of nephrops landed. The technology to either stun or process seafood catches does exist, but has not been used together at sea on UK vessels catching nephrops. Project partners are now confident of proof of concept and are working together to produce a prototype stunning and tailing machine which will be tested on a UK fishing vessel.

PARTNERS

Thanks to our exceptional partners working together to ensure that nephrops fishermen have bespoke technology to handle their catch to the highest standards. Together, we are a unique, pre-competitive collaboration, resolved to tackle challenging issues when it comes to welfare of nephrops. We need support from government and others to incentivise early adoption of this importance piece of machinery – the stunning and tailing machine. The prize is a resilient scampi market that supports businesses and communities, and produces great quality, accessible UK product.

PROJECT ACTIVITY

Catch Welfare

In 2022, decapod crustaceans and cephalopods became legally recognised as sentient through the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill. Yet, there was no automated nephrops stunning and tailing device available for use on board UK fishing vessels. Seafood companies are under unprecedented scrutiny about live tailing without stunning, and fisheries are acting responsibly – ahead of legal requirements – to meet new obligations for humane despatch of nephrops at point of capture.

Optimar Trip

In March 2023, M&S partnered with Optimar to host an ‘Animal Welfare Week’ in Ålesund, Norway. In May 2023, following the Optimar trip to Norway, the coalition came together to develop proof of concept of a nephrops stunning and tailing machine for use on board fishing vessels while at sea.

Proof of Concept Trials

With academic oversight by the University of Stirling, funding from FaSS and facilitation from FIS, Norwegian producer of automated processing systems, Optimar, can begin to build and test a machine specifically fit for purpose for UK Nephrop vessels. FIS and The Fishmongers’ Company supported an exchange trip for Optimar technologists to travel to Northern Ireland and Scotland to view the tailing process and support preliminary trials.