Futuristic fish farm battling massive waves with strained anchor lines.

Aquaculture Under Pressure: Can Fish Farms Weather the Storms?

Theo Raines in Climate & Environment June 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research reveals the hidden dangers of coupling well boats with fish farms in rough seas, threatening the stability of the aquaculture industry."

The aquaculture industry is a vital source of seafood, but its growth faces increasing scrutiny. Sustainability is paramount, and understanding the environmental impact of fish farms is crucial for securing the industry's future. A key aspect of this involves examining the interaction between fish farms and the vessels that service them, particularly well boats, which transport live fish.

Traditionally, well boats and fish farms were studied separately. However, recent research highlights the need to analyze them as a coupled system, especially when operating in challenging marine conditions. Irregular waves and strong currents can significantly impact the structural integrity of fish farms and the operational safety of well boats. Ignoring these factors could lead to catastrophic failures.

A new study published in the Journal of Fluids and Structures dives deep into the dynamic response of a coupled well boat-fish farm system in long-crested irregular waves and current. Using advanced numerical simulations, researchers investigated how the presence of a well boat affects the fish farm's structural loads and operational limits. The findings reveal some alarming insights that could reshape how aquaculture operations are managed.

The Unexpected Impact of Well Boats on Fish Farms

Futuristic fish farm battling massive waves with strained anchor lines.

The study employed complex numerical models to simulate the behavior of a well boat operating near a fish farm in various sea conditions. These models considered factors like wave height, wave period, current velocity, and the positioning of the well boat relative to the fish farm. The simulations revealed that the presence of a well boat can dramatically increase the loads on the fish farm's anchor lines and floating collar.

Specifically, the research found that in moderate sea states, the presence of a well boat could increase the maximum anchor-line loads and floating collar stresses by more than 300%. This means that structures designed to withstand certain environmental conditions could be pushed far beyond their limits simply by the presence of a servicing vessel. This can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Increased Anchor-Line Loads: Well boats add extra weight and drag to the system, pulling harder on the anchor lines that keep the fish farm in place.
Amplified Floating Collar Stresses: The interaction between the boat and the fish farm can create concentrated stress points on the floating structure, potentially leading to fractures or complete failure.
Resonance Effects: Certain wave frequencies can cause the well boat and fish farm to oscillate in sync, amplifying the loads on the system.

The study also investigated the influence of various parameters on the overall system response. Cross-sectional drag coefficients for the well boat and parameters related to the fish farm—pretension load in the anchor lines and anchor-line stiffness—have moderate influence on the two variables. Simplifying the modeling of the coupled system, for instance, neglecting the net cage and the first-order motion, has more effect on the maximum anchor load than on the maximum floating-collar stress and reduced sensitivity is observed in current, especially for the latter variable.

Navigating the Future of Sustainable Aquaculture

These findings carry significant implications for the aquaculture industry. As fish farms move further offshore into more exposed environments, the need for robust structural designs and operational protocols becomes even more critical. Integrating well boats into the design phase and considering their impact on the overall system dynamics is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of aquaculture operations. Further research into alternative mooring systems, vessel designs, and operational strategies is needed to minimize the risks associated with coupled well boat-fish farm systems.

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This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2018.10.007, Alternate LINK

Title: Numerical Study Of A Well Boat Operating At A Fish Farm In Long-Crested Irregular Waves And Current

Subject: Mechanical Engineering

Journal: Journal of Fluids and Structures

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Yugao Shen, Marilena Greco, Odd M. Faltinsen

Published: 2019-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

Why is it important to study well boats and fish farms as a coupled system, rather than separately?

Traditionally, well boats and fish farms were analyzed independently. However, recent research emphasizes the importance of studying them as a coupled system, particularly in challenging marine conditions. Irregular waves and strong currents can significantly impact the structural integrity of fish farms and the operational safety of well boats. Analyzing them together allows for a more comprehensive understanding of how the presence and operation of well boats affect the structural loads and operational limits of fish farms. This is crucial for preventing structural failures and ensuring sustainable aquaculture practices.

According to the research, how do well boats affect the structural integrity of fish farms?

Research indicates that the presence of well boats can significantly increase the loads on a fish farm's anchor lines and floating collar. In moderate sea states, a well boat can increase the maximum anchor-line loads and floating collar stresses by more than 300%. This is due to the added weight and drag from the well boat, creating concentrated stress points. Resonance effects, where wave frequencies cause the boat and farm to oscillate in sync, further amplify these loads.

What are the main factors considered in numerical simulations to assess the impact of well boats on fish farms?

The numerical simulations consider factors such as wave height, wave period, current velocity, and the positioning of the well boat relative to the fish farm. These models help researchers understand how these variables interact to affect the loads on the fish farm's structure, particularly the anchor lines and floating collar. Additionally, parameters related to the fish farm (pretension load in the anchor lines and anchor-line stiffness) and the well boat (cross-sectional drag coefficients) are taken into account.

What are the implications of the research findings for the design and operation of future aquaculture facilities?

The research findings highlight the need to integrate the impact of well boats into the design phase of aquaculture facilities, especially as fish farms move further offshore into more exposed environments. Robust structural designs and operational protocols are critical, and further research into alternative mooring systems, vessel designs, and operational strategies is needed to minimize risks. Ignoring these factors could lead to structural failures and compromise the long-term sustainability of aquaculture operations.

How can simplifying the modeling of coupled well boat-fish farm systems impact the accuracy of assessing structural loads?

Simplifying the modeling of the coupled system, such as neglecting the net cage and the first-order motion, can have a notable effect on the maximum anchor load. While the maximum floating-collar stress may show reduced sensitivity, current also exhibits reduced sensitivity, especially for the floating-collar stress. This suggests that comprehensive models that account for all relevant components and dynamics are essential for accurately assessing the impact of well boats on the structural loads of fish farms.