Method of protecting a fish farm
The method uses a camera and image processing server to detect predators near fish farms and trigger remote scaring devices, addressing the challenge of predation and improving fish farm protection and productivity.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023013668
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-13
AI Technical Summary
Fish farms face significant predation by birds such as cormorants, which can lead to substantial losses in fish production. Existing solutions like nets and human patrols are either ineffective for large areas or require significant resources and can be outsmarted by intelligent predators.
A method involving a camera-equipped platform near the fish farm that continuously monitors the area and transmits images to an image processing server. The server compares these images to a database of known predators and, upon detection, sends a signal to a supervisor who can remotely trigger a scaring device, such as a firecracker, to deter predators.
This method allows for effective and remote monitoring and protection of fish farms, reducing the need for constant human presence and minimizing fish production disruptions caused by predation.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Method for protecting a fish farm
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for protecting a fish farm. It relates more particularly to open-air fish farms, for example in ponds or lakes, but it can nevertheless relate to closed fish farms, in which the surface of the water visible in the open air is protected by a net or other mask.
[0002] Fish farms are units for the production of farmed fish, particularly for human consumption. These facilities quickly become a place of predation for birds, particularly cormorants, which feed on the farmed fish. These predator populations are increasing all the more as the number of such facilities increases. The production of a facility can be wiped out if no measures are taken to stop this predation.
[0003] The solutions adopted to date firstly involve the installation of nets to trap birds. But this type of protection is not feasible for large areas, ponds or lakes of several hectares. If such nets are deployed there, the fish at the time of the attack will take refuge there. But cormorants are however capable, while holding their breath, of capturing a fish and then swimming beyond the vertical line of the net to escape with their prey. The solution involving the installation of traps at the edge of the fish farm is also not satisfactory, because the fish take refuge there permanently, no longer feed, no longer grow and therefore fish production is particularly affected.
[0004] Another solution is to carry out human patrols and scare off predators with various noisy displays. This latter type of action has the disadvantage of requiring the presence of a fish farm supervisor, or their frequent visit to the site with the associated travel costs. Predatory birds are also unfortunately endowed with a certain intelligence and know, after a few experiences, to wait and then return to their food supply, when the noise of the supervisor's vehicle diminishes as the latter moves away.
[0005] To overcome this problem, the invention proposes a method characterized in that
[0006] - a platform is provided on or near a fish farm to be protected from a camera, a power supply for the camera and means of communication, to an image processing server, images captured with the camera,
[0007] - the communicated images are processed,
[0008] - a signal of resemblance of the images communicated to that of a predator to be neutralized,
[0009] - a resemblance signal is emitted to a fish farm supervisor,
[0010] - the remote control fish farm supervisor, upon examination of this res- signal semblance, a radioelectric scare signal,
[0011] - a scaring device located at a location close to the fish farm receives this radio scare signal and sets off a firecracker to scare away predators.
[0012] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description and examining [Fig.l] which accompanies it:
[0013] [Fig.l]: a fish farming installation in which the method of the invention is implemented.
[0014] [Fig.l] shows a fish farm 1, for example a pond bordered by greenery 2 or trees 3. Fish 4 are raised there, for example by dispersal from a pontoon 5 of farmed products. Or the farm is wild and there is no pontoon for this purpose. Predators 6, notably cormorants, go there to feed by fishing for the fish, which ruins the farm.
[0015] In the invention, a platform 7 is placed on or near the fish farm 1 to be protected. Here, preferably, the platform 7 is floating and is placed in the middle of the pond 1 so as to prevent theft. The platform 7 supports a camera 8 and, here, a device 9 of photovoltaic panels which serves to power the camera. Alternatively, a power supply can be organized from a bank of the fish farm. The camera 8 is provided with and is connected to communication means 10, symbolized here by a radio antenna. These communication means 10 are in practice a 4G module.
[0016] The operation of this assembly is as follows: the camera 8 continuously films the surrounding landscape. For example, it rotates on itself around a vertical axis 11. But, more simply, its angle of view is 360° and the images that it regularly edits thus comprise a reproduction of the entire surrounding landscape. At a frequency, which can be modified, but for example, once every 5 seconds, the camera transmits by radio, using the communication means 10, the edited image signal. This image signal received by a base station 12 of a telephone network 13-14 is thus transmitted to an image processing server 15. The communication means 10 comprises all the means to regularly and automatically communicate with the server 15. The server 15 which receives the images captured with the camera processes these images in the following manner.An image is received on an input / output interface 16 of the server 15. It is compared, by software 17, to images contained in a bank 18 of images of this server 15. The images contained in the bank 18 are those of known predators, in particular cormorants. The comparison is controlled, via a bus 19 of commands, addresses and data, by a processor 20, to the image captured by the camera 8. The comparison includes, in particular by artificial intelligence, the . measuring the resemblance of any part of the captured image to an image in bank 18. All parts of the captured image and all images in bank 18 are thus progressively compared, by an operation 21, to each other.
[0017] If a resemblance, in an image communicated by the camera, to an image of a predator to be neutralized is detected, the server 15 emits a resemblance signal. This resemblance signal is transmitted to a supervisor 22 of the fish farm, in particular in the form of a notification, an alarm. The transmission to the supervisor 22 takes place by telephone, voice or data communication. The telephone network 23 of this latter communication does not need to be the same as the network 13-14, but it can be. Various solutions are possible. Either the resemblance signal comprises an image 24 reproducing that captured by the camera 8 and judged to be similar by the software 17. Or the resemblance signal comprises only an invitation from the supervisor 22 to consult the server 15 where the similar images can be stored and which this supervisor can view like any other view of an Internet site.
[0018] The fish farm supervisor 22 then studies this resemblance signal and, if necessary when the comparison appears conclusive, issues a scaring signal. This scaring signal is transmitted by the network 23 and / or the network 13-14 to a scaring device 25. Preferably, the scaring signal is produced by the server 15 on an order received from the supervisor 22. For this purpose, the software 17 includes a subroutine which receives this order from the supervisor 22 and itself emits the scaring signal. The device 25 is located at a location close to the fish farm 1, in particular it is placed on the platform 7. For this purpose, it includes communication means 29 of the same type as the mobile telephone 10, but even more simplified in this case because the data rate which it is likely to receive is very low. An Internet of Things type communication protocol is adapted to it. In this case, it is electrically powered by the device 9.The device 25 comprises in particular multiple housings 26 receiving firecrackers 27. At least one housing is fitted with a firecracker 27 and a detonator 28 for igniting the firecracker 27. Preferably, the firecrackers are rocket firecrackers. The triggering of a firecracker 27 scares away the detected predator(s). In this case, the supervisor no longer needs to travel to the fish farm 1; he simply needs to consult the server 15, at his request or when he is alerted by a resemblance signal, to firstly note the presence of a predatory bird and secondly carry out effective scaring. Subsequently, he can, at any time but in particular after the launch of the firecracker 27, verify by consulting the images from the server 15 that the predators have definitely flown away. If necessary, he can trigger another firecracker. Preferably the device 25 has multiple housings for numerous firecrackers which the supervisor supplies when they have . all been used. Thus, several firecrackers can be individually controlled remotely by the supervisor 22.
[0019] With the method of the invention the fish farm supervisor can of course view the state of his fish farm in real time, the software 17 includes a sub-program for this purpose.
Claims
Claims
1. Device for protecting a fish farm (1) characterized in that it comprises, near the fish farm (1), a platform (7) provided with a camera (8), a power supply (9) for the camera and means (10) for communicating, to a server (15) for processing images, images captured with the camera (8).
2. Device for protecting a fish farm (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a scaring device located at a location close to the fish farm, equipped with at least one firecracker to scare away predators.
3. Device for protecting a fish farm (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that to scare away predators, the platform (7) is equipped with several firecrackers individually controlled remotely by the supervisor.
4. Device for protecting a fish farm (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a photovoltaic panel (9) is used to power the camera.
5. Method for protecting a fish farm (1) characterized in that a. a platform (7) is placed on or near the fish farm (1) provided with a camera (8), a power supply (9) for the camera and means (10) for communicating, to an image processing server (15), the images captured with the camera (8), b. the communicated images are processed (21), c. a resemblance signal is extracted from the communicated images to that of a predator to be neutralized, d. a resemblance signal (24) is emitted to a supervisor (22) of the fish farm (1), e. the supervisor (22) of the remote-controlled fish farm (17), upon examination of this resemblance signal, a radioelectric scaring signal, f. A scare device located near the fish farm receives this scare radio signal and sets off a firecracker to scare away the predators.
6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that to treat the images where artificial intelligence compares an image captured by the camera to an image of a known predator.
7. Method according to one of claims 5 to 6, characterized in that to emit a resemblance signal a notification is transmitted to a supervisor (22) of the fish farm.
8. Method according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that to emit a resemblance signal an image captured by the camera is transmitted to a supervisor (22) of the fish farm.
9. Method according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that for remote control a low-speed Internet of Things type transmission protocol is used.
10. Method according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the fish farm supervisor can view the status of his fish farm in real time.