Andreas Skagøy, new head of fish health and analysis at Frøy.
Photo: Frøy
Frøy has appointed three new staff members to strengthen its fish health work, as the Norwegian aquaculture services company says it wants to make better use of operational data.
The new hires are Andreas Skagøy, Birgit Stautland and Tiril Hoffstrøm Slettjord. Skagøy has been named head of fish health and analysis, a role in which he will help develop the company’s approach to fish welfare and data use.
“Good fish health is a premise for everything we do. When we have the fish on board, we also have a responsibility to take the best possible care of them,” said chief executive Tonje Foss, in a press release.
According to Frøy's announcement, the appointments follow a period of internal development in fish health expertise. Foss said the company had received strong interest when the roles were advertised.
“We are very pleased with the people we have secured. When we advertised the positions, we received a lot of good applicants, and that says something about both the interest in the field and the position Frøy holds,” she said.
Frøy said its focus will centre on vessel and technology development, closer dialogue with authorities, and better use of data gathered during wellboat operations.
“We have a lot of data available, and we need to get better at using it. Our people work closely with our customers' fish health departments so we can learn and improve together. The less stress we put on the fish, the more robust they become against disease,” said Foss.
Skagøy joins from Måsøval, where he was head of development and previously head of fish health. He has also worked as a department manager at Åkerblå, and holds a master’s degree in fish health from UiT and an MBA in strategic management from NHH.
“The efforts of shipping companies are absolutely crucial to safeguarding both fish welfare and productivity in the aquaculture industry. By reducing the overall stress load in connection with handling operations, we can help ensure that the salmon are well, and maintain good welfare and growth,” said Skagøy.
He said modern wellboats generate large amounts of information, including data on water quality and fish movement, which could be used more effectively.
“A modern wellboat is full of sensors that give us ongoing insight into the water quality, the movement of the fish group through the system and a number of other relevant parameters. There is enormous potential in structuring this data better, understanding how the fish are stressed and thus becoming even more targeted in the optimization of complex operations,” he said.
Skagøy said the work would cover both day-to-day support for vessels and longer-term development of new solutions, including future wellboat designs. He also stressed that fish health work depends on cooperation with customers, external fish health services and regulators.