Shellfish aquaculture is a strategic activity at European level, especially in Spain, which is the leading producer of mussels. Over the last decade, it has produced around 233,000 tonnes per year, with Galicia playing an important role thanks to its raft farming system (APROMAR, 2024).
Mussel farming in Galicia is historic and emblematic. Mussel rafts are part of the landscape and reflect this connection. The Galician mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), with its Protected Designation of Origin, is a symbol of cultural identity and quality in the region. Its cultivation transcends the bateeiros, as it involves a wide chain of participants: rope manufacturers, cannery workers, among others, who contribute to this activity that is essential to the local economy and culture.
However, for some years now, the sector has been facing difficulties associated with climate change, seed availability, the proliferation of toxic algae, predation, diseases caused by bacteria such as those of the Vibrio genus, and limitations inherent to the ecosystem, such as its carrying capacity (Avdelas et al., 2021).
Likewise, one limitation during the early stages of cultivation is seed predation, which reduces the productivity of the rafts, even in high-production areas.
What is SIGMA?
SIGMA aims to develop a genetically based IoT-EdgeAI system to improve seed production and growth in these rafts. Potential predatory species will be identified through genetic analysis of stomach contents combined with visual analysis of interactions in captivity and on rafts.
Different stimuli will be evaluated to scare them away, ensuring animal welfare and respect for the environment. SIGMA will operate autonomously and dynamically in real time according to the production cycle, acting as a disruptive transformative element for the sector in Galicia.
A multidisciplinary project between business and university
SIGMA is part of our colleague Lizbet Gutiérrez’s industrial doctorate and is being developed jointly by Insati and the University of Vigo, as well as CIM-ECIMAT. It is co-financed with funds from the Industrial Doctorates programme of the Regional Government of Galicia (Department of Education, Science, Universities and Vocational Training).
It is a multidisciplinary project that seeks to bring science and industry together to improve such an important productive sector as mussel aquaculture in Galicia.