International Research Initiative • 2026-2029

Resilient Aquaculture
Outbreak Management

Proving that cost-effective, data-driven solutions can rival expensive, high-tech monitoring systems in aquaculture disease management

4-Year Project · Norway • Philippines • Indonesia · Led by NORCE

Transforming Aquaculture Disease Management

AQUAROM rethinks technology investment in aquaculture—demonstrating that strategic resource use, rather than higher spending, drives innovation and productivity.

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For Norway

R&D spending has increased significantly, yet productivity gains have stalled. High-cost sensor networks show diminishing returns on disease prevention. We identify optimal sensor configurations and reduce operational costs while maintaining effectiveness.

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For the Philippines

Disease outbreaks including white spot syndrome and seasonal fish kills cause major losses. Farmers lack access to affordable monitoring tools and early warning systems. We provide validated, low-cost solutions tailored to resource-limited settings.

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Global Impact

By conducting field trials in the Philippines and cross-validating with Norwegian data, we bridge the gap between resource-limited and high-tech aquaculture environments, creating practical solutions for both contexts.

Why AQUAROM?

❌ Current Reality

  • → Traditional underwater monitoring is prohibitively expensive for regular use
  • → High-tech sensor networks show diminishing returns
  • → Farmers lack affordable early warning systems
  • → Disease outbreaks cause significant economic losses

✓ AQUAROM Solution

  • → Cost-effective camera systems for continuous monitoring
  • → AI-driven predictive models with ≥80% accuracy
  • → Solutions validated across different climates
  • → Early detection prevents major outbreaks

Key Objectives & Methodology

Comprehensive framework optimizing monitoring strategies, predictive modeling, and stakeholder-driven decision-making

01

Optimize Monitoring

Identify cost-effective sensor configurations that eliminate redundancy while maintaining disease detection reliability across different aquaculture environments.

02

Predictive AI Models

Create AI-driven models that detect disease outbreaks with limited data, achieving ≥80% accuracy in early warning systems using machine learning for sparse data environments.

03

Farmer Decision-Making

Study how farmers interpret and apply model outputs to improve adoption rates and practical implementation, ensuring solutions are farmer-friendly.

04

Cross-Climate Validation

Test whether low-cost Philippine solutions work effectively in Norway's high-tech operations and vice versa, proving global applicability.

05

Privacy-Preserving ML

Develop federated learning framework for multi-farm data sharing while protecting proprietary information and farmer privacy.

06

Capacity Building

Train 3 PhD students, 2 MSc students, and engage policymakers and industry stakeholders to ensure knowledge transfer and sustainable impact.

Paradigm Shift in Aquaculture Technology

AQUAROM challenges the assumption that higher spending automatically leads to better outcomes

💡 Challenges Status Quo

Proves cost-effective solutions can rival expensive systems through optimized sensor configurations and intelligent data analysis.

🔄 Two-Way Knowledge Transfer

Philippines serves as testbed for innovation; Norway validates and adopts successful approaches in high-tech operations.

👨‍🌾 Industry-Driven Solutions

Solutions co-created with farmers and companies ensuring practical applicability and real-world effectiveness.

🌏 Globally Scalable

Benefits both high-tech and resource-limited aquaculture operations worldwide through adaptable frameworks.

📋 Policy-Relevant

Engages regulators in Norway and Philippines to ensure alignment with governance frameworks and industry standards.

🔓 Open Science

Committed to open-access data and algorithms following FAIR principles for maximum research impact.

International Partnership Network

Leading research institutions, government agencies, and industry partners across three countries

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NORCE Norwegian Research Centre

Project lead, AI/ML modeling, predictive models, and overall coordination

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Manolin AS

Industry data provider, Norwegian field validation lead

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Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology

Fish epidemiology, environmental factor analysis, field coordination

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University of Southern Philippines Foundation

Sensor optimization co-lead, Philippine field trials

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Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 7

Government agency, field trials lead, policy alignment

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HOC PO Feed Corp

Aquaculture industry partner, field data provider

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Brawijaya University

Sensor optimization co-lead, privacy-preserving ML development

Research Outputs & Impact

Technical Outputs

  • Cost-effective sensor configurations and optimization guidelines
  • Predictive disease models with ≥80% accuracy using limited data
  • Privacy-preserving ML framework for multi-farm data sharing
  • Epidemiological models linking environmental factors to disease outbreaks
  • Cross-validation study comparing low-cost vs. high-tech monitoring
  • Open-access datasets and algorithms (FAIR principles)

Capacity Building & Dissemination

  • 3 PhD students (Philippines/Indonesia)
  • 2 MSc students
  • 8+ peer-reviewed publications
  • 3 annual stakeholder workshops (Norway, Philippines, Indonesia)
  • Industry seminars and training programs
  • Policy briefs for regulators and decision-makers

Project Timeline

2026

Project kickoff, PhD recruitment, lab testing of sensor configurations

2027-2028

Predictive models development, Philippine field trials, data collection and analysis

2029

Cross-validation with Norwegian data, final reporting, dissemination and publications

Interested in Collaboration?

We welcome inquiries about research partnerships, PhD/MSc opportunities, industry collaboration, and stakeholder engagement.

Project Contact

Hasan Arief

NORCE Norwegian Research Centre

hasv@norceresearch.no

Opportunities

• PhD positions (3 available)
• MSc student projects (2 available)
• Research collaborations
• Industry partnerships
• Stakeholder workshops