Eivind Leirvik Nergaard, biotechnologist at Greenfox Marine, shows the company's award-winning AI technology for automatic gender sorting.
Photo: Greenfox Marine.
Greenfox Marine announced that Nordlaks will adopt its latest solution for automatic ultrasound examination of fish using artificial intelligence (AI), which enables smolt gender sorting and health inspection in what the Norwegian aquaculture technology firm described as "one gentle and efficient process."
"We see this as a good solution for monitoring and improving fish health, while also making our production more efficient," said Øivind Skjevling, Operations Director at Nordlaks Smolt AS, commenting on the agreement.
The Norwegian salmon producer thus joins what Erling Aspen, CEO of Greenfox Marine, described as an increasing acceptance for gender sorting in the Norwegian market. According to him, more and more people see that gender sorting using ultrasound can provide major positive effects, both on fish health and productivity.
"Within five years, we believe 95% of the industry will be gender-sorting salmon," Aspen said. At the moment, after winning the 2025 Innovation Award at Aqua Nor last August with this AI-driven ultrasound technology for fish gender sorting, Greenfox Marine has already secured several contracts, including this one with Nordlaks.
The Greenfox Marine system consists of a "vision system" that analyzes the external factors of the fish, ultrasound channels that analyze the internal organs, and the sorting solution itself, which classifies the fish according to gender, size, and health profile.
However, together with its sister company, vaccination machine manufacturer Lumic, Greenfox Marine—wholly owned by Blue Future Holding—supplies various types of machines, which are tailored to the needs and preferences of each customer. The solution to be delivered to Nordlaks—fully automatic gender sorting and health indexing—will be integrated into the existing vaccination process.
"The technology has developed so much in recent years that gender sorting and health indexing of farmed fish can now be incorporated seamlessly into already existing processes – such as vaccination – without putting additional strain on the fish," explained Eivind Leirvik Nergaard, biotechnologist at Greenfox Marine.
Specifically, the solution requested by Nordlaks can sort fish weighing between 20 and 500 grams at speeds of up to 20,000 fish per hour. By adding more modules, the machine can reach a maximum speed of 40,000 fish analyzed and sorted per hour.
According to Greenfox Marine, after sorting the fish, Nordlaks can expect lower mortality, increased growth, and more efficient production, as well as a reduction in the overall stress level in the cage.
In its release, the Norwegian technology firm explained that the overall stress level in the cage is reduced when it contains only one gender.
"It is well documented that gender sorting results in lower mortality, fewer wounds, and fewer injuries to the fish. Gender sorting is a good and important measure that supports the government's goal of 5% mortality in farmed fish," said Greenfox Marine CEO.
The aquaculture technology company added that since it began gender sorting, its customers have increased production and slaughter weight by more than 4,000 tons, noting that "they have achieved this by operating on the salmon's terms."
As Greenfox Marine explained, in addition to being more resilient and better able to tolerate exposed locations, female salmon also offer better fillet yield and quality.
With cages sorted by gender, the maturation cycle of males no longer has to determine when females are harvested, so that when cages with male fish are harvested, cages with female fish can remain until they have also reached the desired harvest weight.
As mentioned above, in addition to external factors affecting the fish, Greenfox Marine's AI-driven ultrasound technology also allows the internal organs of salmon to be analyzed and fish to be classified according to their health profile, as well as to their gender, something that, as its CEO stated, is of particular interest to Nordlaks.
"We look forward to adopting the technology and, beyond gender sorting alone, gaining the opportunity to monitor the fish's health status in a better way," Øivind Skjevling said.
As Greenfox Marine pointed out, by monitoring fish health—including known health challenges such as nephrocalcinosis and early sexual maturation—it is also possible to implement measures or make operational adjustments early.
"Such measures can reverse some conditions; at the same time, both treatments and handling of the fish can be adapted based on how robust the fish in each pen are," the aquatech company's CEO, Erling Aspen, said.
In addition, Greenfox Marine announced that this will not be its only collaboration with Nordlaks. Going forward, the salmon producer will also be a pilot customer for an upcoming feature: a dedicated station for heart examinations of fish.
