New and gentle catching method for deep-water scallop fishing

For the first time in 30 years, Arctic scallops have again been fished in the Barents Sea, thanks to Ava Ocean. The company’s new catching method harvests scallops without destroying the seabed – and is more precise than traditional shell scraping.

There are currently large deposits of arctic scallops on the seabed in Norwegian sea areas, which are not exploited. That is why Ava Ocean has developed a fishing method that is efficient enough to operate commercial fishing, while being gentle and protecting the seabed.

— The Ava Ray fishing gear consists of two parts: A fishing basket that operates just above the seabed and an associated pump system. The pumping system creates a water flow, which lifts the shells up from the bottom. The catch is sorted immediately, before bycatch and small shells are gently returned to the seabed, explains CEO and Founder of Ava Ocean, Øystein Tvedt.

Nominated for the Innovation Award 2024

For the development of Ava Ray, Ava Ocean has been nominated for the Innovation Award, which is awarded during Nor-Fishing 2024.

— The nomination is a recognition we really appreciate. Many years of hard work have gone into the development, both on land and at sea. It means a lot to all employees to be nominated for this particular award, because this innovation is very important to us, says Øystein.

More gentle and efficient harvesting

The capture system is operated by a harvesting pilot on the boat.

With the help of an advanced camera system, the seabed and the catch are filmed, while automatic control and monitoring ensure that the harvest is both efficient and gentle.

— Ava Ray gives full control over the catch and the area that is harvested, so that we avoid harvesting in areas with poor shellfish stocks, explains Øystein.

Testing scallop fishing in the Barents Sea

In the 80s, scallop fishing was large in Norway, but harmful fishing methods and overfishing led to an end in the fishing in 1992.

Since then, Norwegian scallops have only been harvested by diving along the coast, until last year. Ava Ocean then received permission to test its new fishing gear over a five-year period in the Barents Sea.

— We started the gear development of Ava Ray in 2016. The big breakthrough came last year, when we were able to use the fishing gear on the boat Arctic Pearl and reopened scallop fishing in the Barents Sea, Øystein explains, and adds:— The permission has been granted after several years of testing, mapping and development in collaboration with the Institute of Marine Research, SINTEF, Innovation Norway and the Research Council of Norway.

Urges the international industry to follow

Shell scraping is still the most used method for harvesting scallops in the world today.

— The aim is that through these five years of research fishing, in collaboration with the authorities, we can re-establish a full-fledged fishery for these inaccessible cold-water scallops in Norway – and in the long term be able to export both scallops and catching technology.

— We hope that Norway can inspire a new standard in the industry, and that the rest of the world will also put the shell scrapers on the shelf when they see that there is a better alternative, concludes Øystein.

Arrange a meeting with Ava Ocean at Nor-Fishing 2024!

Øystein Tvedt, CEO
+47 47054973 – oystein@avaocean.no

Anette Grøttland Zimowski, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
+47 91913865 – anette@avaocean.no

The winner of the Innovation Award 2024 will be announced during the opening ceremony of Nor-Fishing, Tuesday 20th of August at 11:30 AM-12:20 PM in the Mendelsohn conference hall, Trondheim Spektrum.