Another stunning achievement for Ace team

DUNDEE company Ace Aquactec has been named as one of three finalists for the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s (GAA) annual Global Aquaculture Innovation Award.

The aquaculture technology firm’s multi-prize winning Humane Stunner Universal (HSU), which harvests fish in an ethical and humane manner, was chosen for its contribution to animal welfare.

Mike Forbes, head of sales and marketing at Ace Aquatec, said there had been a lack of equipment to help people farm their fish ethically when it came to slaughter.

‘We saw stunning systems that damage the fish or don’t produce an even electrical field, meaning some fish get more stunned than others,’ he told the GAA.

‘So our goal was to create a more humane and efficient version of electric stunning that would leave fish unconscious for two to three minutes, enough time to bleed and kill the fish immediately or to put them on to ice so they’ll remain unconscious until they die.’

John Forster, a GAA consultant specialising in fish welfare, said: ‘Ace Aquatec is the leading company when it comes to instant stunning prior to slaughter, and they’re obviously really good at using electricity in water.’

Also selected for the GAA award is alternative feed ingredient producer Arbiom, of North Carolina in the US.

All finalists will attend the GAA’s GOAL conference in Chennai, India, from October 21-24,.