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Fish farming is a complex and evolving industry where the management of fish health is paramount. For many years, farms have relied on cage and fish group level data to track the health and performance of their fish populations. However, as operations have grown more intricate and challenges more pressing, this method of aggregation is showing limitations. Enter Population Tracing — a transformative technology now seamlessly integrated across Manolin’s platform’s data modeling, powering the most precise and accurate insights and decision-making.
Why Population Tracing Matters
At first glance, fish farms may seem like static environments, with fish remaining in their cages for the duration of their generation. In reality, fish populations undergo frequent movements, whether for sea lice treatments, sorting by size, or other management strategies. This dynamic nature complicates the ability to monitor health at the individual cage level alone.
Historically, fish health tracking aggregated data at the cage or group level, meaning that specific populations were often overlooked. With population tracing, farms now have a granular view of each fish group’s journey, even as they are split, merged, or relocated. This continuous tracking retains the full health record of each population, ensuring that no critical data is lost during transitions.
How Population Tracing Works
Population tracing is about more than just identifying which fish were in a particular cage at a particular time. It’s a holistic, forward-thinking approach that allows farms to follow fish populations through every movement, treatment, and change they experience over the course of their lifecycle.
For example, imagine a scenario where a population of fish in Cage A shows melanin spots during harvest. Traditional methods might trace the issue back to Cage A, but with population tracing, we can go even deeper. We can identify that only 20% of the fish in Cage A were affected, and furthermore, trace these fish back through multiple cages, tracking their specific smolt genetics, the feed they consumed, and every treatment they received along the way.
This level of precision allows for not just a retrospective analysis, but proactive health management. With population tracing, Manolin’s platform can identify patterns earlier, make better decisions in near real-time, and prevent future issues from escalating for farms.
The Impact on Predictive Models and Fish Health
Manolin’s population tracing isn’t just about understanding the past. It provides farms with the most precise data intelligence paired with our advanced predictive models. By following individual fish populations, farms can now analyze how different variables — such as stocking density, environmental conditions, and treatment efficacy — impact overall health outcomes.
These insights enable farms to make more informed decisions, improving everything from disease prevention to product performance analysis. For instance, farms can now more accurately forecast the outcome of a specific treatment, helping to ensure resources are used efficiently and costs are minimized.
The Power of Data-Driven Decisions
At its core, population tracing equips fish farms with the data they need to make smarter, faster decisions. By having a complete, accurate record of each population’s health journey, farms can reduce risks, optimize operational efficiency, and ultimately improve fish welfare.
Beyond that, population tracing helps farms organize their data, making them better prepared for regulatory requirements. With full transparency into every movement and treatment, farms are equipped to demonstrate adherence to best practices in fish health management, setting them up for long-term success.
Leading the Next Generation of Aquaculture Intelligence
Population tracing represents a fundamental shift in how fish health is managed in the aquaculture industry. By providing farms with granular insights and unmatched data precision, it unlocks new opportunities for growth, efficiency, and sustainability. As a cornerstone of Manolin’s Watershed platform, population tracing is empowering farms to take control of their data and lead the way to a healthier, more resilient future for aquaculture.