University of Stirling and Ace Aquatec Limited KTP 24_25 R2

Fish farmers currently have no way to know when a harmful algae bloom is about to strike their pens. This project will build an early warning system that detects the risk in real time, giving farmers hours or days to act before fish die or become too toxic to sell. Harmful algae blooms can devastate fish farms, killing stock, forcing early harvests, and contaminating seafood with toxins. Farmers now rely on reactive measures—scrambling after the bloom arrives. The system under development combines sensors, water-quality data, and predictive software to spot the conditions that trigger blooms. It aims to replace guesswork with a clear, actionable alert. If the system works, fish farmers could move pens, harvest early, or treat water before a bloom hits. That would reduce fish losses, cut waste, and make seafood supply chains more reliable. The technology could also be adapted for shellfish farms or wild-capture fisheries. The project is applied research with a direct commercial partner, so the goal is a practical tool, not a fundamental discovery.