FISH-LIVER-HARVESTER (FLH) Project - an automated fish liver harvesting machine

ended

The application is for developing a new machine, Fish Liver Harvester (for harvesting fish livers from codfish) from a TRL (Technological Readiness Level) 6-7 to TRL level 8-9. The working principle of the machine is utilizing the differences in specific gravity of the livers and the rest of the guts, separating them in a flow of sea water running through the machine. The livers are floating in sea water, getting the livers to seek upwards, while the rest of the guts are seeking downwards. The separation is performed by a rotating separator, synchronized with conveyor carriers on the conveyor belt in the machine, and driven by the conveyor chain, separating the livers from the guts over a sharp edge. The livers are flowing with the seawater out of the machine, while the conveyor carriers are bringing the rest of the guts out at the other end of the machine. The actual machine is a Prototype 2 machine construction, which is based on the experiences made with a Prototype 1 machine, which was tested onboard two Faroese trawlers, Sjagaklettur and Hamranes. The experiences made with Prototype 1, feedback from the crew onboard the trawler Hamranes, and good cooperation with the Faroese Food Authorities were used in the design of a easier cleanable, more hygienic Prototype 2. Prototype 2 was installed on board trawler Hamranes in December 2016 and is still being tested on board. The feedback from the crew on Hamranes has been positive and a number of trawlers have already indicated purchasing interest. The intention is to optimize the machine and the yield and bring it ready for commercialization. The machine can make it possible to utilize a mostly wasted resource, that can be used both for food and feed production. The machine was developed for deep sea trawlers, but can also be adapted to longlining fishing boats and other fishing boats. There is also a demand for a land-based system, separating livers from guts in land-based manual gutting operations.