Fishery

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Nicolas Buisson

Product Manager

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SeapiX 3D sonar for fishery meet skippers’ toughest requirements, providing total control over the underwater environment. It revolutionizes fishing techniques by providing accurate information and unparalleled surveillance of a designated underwater spatial volume.

It helps skipper making better decision to achieve the complex goal of profitability and sustainability. Its capability to analyze and to compare fish shoal is unique, and skipper can apply genuine “Fishing strategy”, to target more and to reduce time at sea.

SeapiX can be mounted as “Downward Looking”, as “Side Looking” or as “Forward Looking” 3D sonar, offering always suitable and flexible solution according to fishing technic requirements.

For Bottom Trawling

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Next level for Bottom Trawling

iXblue tackles the problem of background detection in a completely innovative way. Conventionally, single-beam sounders display the content of a single 7 ° cone only under the vessel. SeapiX offers a more extended view, first of all in Across plane to the ship (from port to starboard, up to 60° coverage) but also in the Along plane of the ship (from bow to stern up to 60° coverage). Thus, the skipper benefits from better information all around the vessel in order to optimize his trawling path towards the most favorable areas while avoiding the risk of hooks and damage to the fishing gear.

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Bottom Trawling Modes of operation

Based on years of experience with skippers, SeapiX provides factory “Mode of Operation” optimized for each bottom trawling stage. iXblue proposes Modes including 1 or 2 swaths with 3 to 9 Echogram sectors. Skippers can customize the factory modes with specific layout (on 1 to 4 display units).

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True fish assessment

Strengths for fish species discrimination and estimate

This accuracy of sampling in “Voxels” of small volumes of the biomass proves to be a decisive factor, especially for the near bottom trawling activity. In this very sensitive context, which consists in discriminating the individual echoes of fish at less than 2m from a strongly echogenic bottom, the treatment of multiple small Voxels makes it possible to limit the unwanted effects of the bottom in the discrimination of the biomass, and thus to obtain a more realistic quantitative estimate and TS characterization.

Strengths for fish species discrimination

Bottom fish speciesNear bottom individual fish “TS” are processed to fill “Class of species” data base of SeapiX and offer statistical % spread of species.

Seabed and hardness mapping

As regular multibeam sounders, SeapiX sonars build up seabed mapping with hardness measure, and present it as 2D and 3D view merged with vessel navigation.

But SeapiX is also capable of providing Along track sonar swath and multibeam calculation for the bottom.
Then seabed can be mapped ahead, offering an exclusive indication for skipper, able to anticipate danger and to optimize his catch.

Pelagic trawling

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State of the Art pelagic fish finder and classifier

Searching for pelagic fish requires detection capability from layers close to the surface and covering a large volume all around the vessel. Unlike conventional sonar, SeapiX provides high resolution analysis in a large volume of 120 ° x 120 °.

Pelagic trawling

From its introduction to the pelagic fishery of northern Europe, SeapiX has demonstrated its unique capabilities in terms of discrimination and volumetric coverage close to the surface, including for low echogenic species such as the Mackerel.

By 2021, iXblue offers a major innovation for trawlers and purse seiners with its new “Surface Beam” capable of detecting Mackerel and all types of pelagic fishes from the surface itself, thus completing its already exceptional coverage of 120° x120 °.

Pelagic Surface beam
Pelagic

Single to Multi Head system for full control

Large volumetric coverage offered in real time is crucial for the skipper. For that purpose, SeapiX system can offer modular configurations of 1 to 3 transducers with Downward looking or Side looking mounting to perfectly adapt to the type of pelagic fishing. In all cases it offers unparalleled volumetric control in real time at high resolution within a radius of 300-400m around the vessel, covering 120° (Single) or 240° azimuth (Dual).

Schéma_Single to multi-head system for full control

Pelagic Trawling Modes of operation

Based on years of experience with skippers, SeapiX provides factory “Mode of Operation” optimized for each pelagic trawling stage. iXblue proposes Modes including 1, 2, 3 or 4 swaths with 3 to 9 Echogram or more sectors, from one to 3 Transducer. Regardless of the number of transducers, the data is merged and the operator manages his SeapiX system as a single system.

Based on factory Modes, skipper can customize his own Modes with specific layout on displays (one to 4 displays).

Simplest one is based on Across track swath view, generating 3 Echograms (Port-Center-Starboard) covering total of 120° (from 30° Tilt angle from Surface).

Thanks to SeapiX Along track swath, SeapiX provides Mode with Along track forward looking fish detection and seabed mapping ahead of the vessel (Along + Across Mode). This unique feature shows shoal coming from front. Every swath can be engaged with scanning to produce “Volumetric” Echograms.

For deep Pelagic bottom operation (as Blue Whiting , at depth up to 550m), “Along 6 Echoes” Mode is capable to provide true biomass estimate in deep layers.

Pelagic-trawling modes of operation
Pelagic-trawling modes of operation

True fish assessment

Strengths for fish species discrimination and estimate

Thanks to split Beam calculation in all single beams (total of 512 per transducer), SeapiX supplies True TS and fish discrimination from all beams including from near surface beams.

Species-discrimination

Fishing operation at a glance

This feature makes SeapiX a unique system capable to assess a whole shoal in the water column, located below or beside the vessel. Genuine fishing strategies can be developed such as mapping and classifying the biomass available on a fishing spot, targeting shoal species, avoiding unwanted fish.

SeapiX offers geographical filtering of the biomass detected all around by the echograms to get an accurate shoal targeting.

 

Fishing-operation-at-a-glance

Purse seining

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Revolutionnary pelagic shoal behaviour controller and classifier

Schéma_Tuna fish discriminationSide looking Transducer allows near surface control and all depth layer description of the shoal without need of Tilt adjustment. SeapiX images the entire pelagic shoal from surface to the keel below by providing true TS and discrimination for all pelagic species.

 

Single to Multi Head system for full control

Large volumetric coverage offered in real time is crucial for the skipper. For that purpose, SeapiX system can offer modular configurations of 1 to 3 transducers with Downward looking or Side looking mounting to perfectly adapt to the type of pelagic fishing. In all cases it offers unparalleled volumetric control in real time at high resolution within a radius of 300-400m around the vessel, covering 120° (Single) or 240° azimuth (Dual).

Single to multi-head system for full control

Seining Modes of operation

Based on years of experience with skippers, SeapiX provides factor “Mode of Operation” optimized for each Seining stage. iXblue proposes Modes including 1, 2, or 4 swaths with 1 to 2 Echograms, “Volumetric Echograms, or more sectors, from one to 3 Transducer. Regardless of the number of transducers, the data is merged, and the operator manages his SeapiX system as a single system.

Schéma_Seining modes of operation

True fish assessment

Strengths for fish species discrimination and estimate

Thanks to split Beam calculation in all single beams (total of 512 per transducer), SeapiX supplies True TS and fish discrimination from all beams including from near surface sonar swaths and echograms. This feature makes SeapiX as a unique system capable to assess and estimate a whole pelagic shoal located on side of vessel and even closed to surface.

Species-discrimination

 

Processing of hydroacoustic biomass data from all 512 beams allows to present on 2D and 3D biomass response only and reject useless detection of vessel wake and waves.

Purse seiners can develop genuine “fishing strategies” by mapping and classifying biomass available on fishing spot, before to choose or come back to best shoal according to species and pureness of the shoal.

Fishing operation at a glance

Hauling seine, side echogram with mackerel shoal in the net

Classification and estimate of abundance before shooting the seine

Tuna seining

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Unique Tuna analyzer for profitable catches

 

Schéma-Unique Tuna analyzer_Whole shoal detectionSide looking Transducer allows near surface control and all depth layer description of the whole Tuna shoal without need of Tilt adjustment. SeapiX assess the entire shoal from surface to bellow keel by providing Tuna / bait discrimination and understanding Tuna behaviour to improve manoeuvring decisions.

Single to Multi Head system for full control

Large volumetric coverage offered in real time is crucial for the skipper. For that purpose, SeapiX system can offer modular configurations of 1 to 3 transducers with Downward looking or Side looking mounting to perfectly adapt to the type of pelagic fishing. In all cases it offers unparalleled volumetric control in real time at high resolution within a radius of 300-400m around the vessel, covering 120° (Single) or 240° azimuth (Dual).

Single to multi-head system for full control

Tuna Modes of operation

Based on years of experience with skippers, SeapiX provides factory “Mode of Operation” optimized for each Seining stage. iXblue proposes Modes including 1, 2, or 4 swaths with 1 to 2 Echograms, “Volumetric Echograms, or more sectors, from one to 3 Transducer. Regardless of the number of transducers, the data is = merged, and the operator manages his SeapiX system as a single system.

Several Modes are proposed to suit with skipper phasis of approaching Tunal, including dedicated Mode for Tuna biomass abundance and classification purposes.

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Schéma_Tuna modes of operation

True fish assessment

Strengths for fish species discrimination and estimate

Thanks to split Beam calculation in all single beams (total of 512 per transducer), SeapiX supplies True TS for Tuna discrimination from all beams from near surface sonar swaths and echograms. This feature makes SeapiX as a unique system capable to assess and estimate a whole pelagic shoal located on side of vessel and even closed to surface.

True-fish-assessment

Every single detection is processed as Class of Tuna according to skipper expectation. Usually skipper like to split Tuna shoal in two categories, bellow and over 100Kg fishes with coding color.

Thanks to advanced biomass processing, Tuna biomass response is clearly distinguished from vessel wake turbulence, offering a very clear picture of Tuna detection to optimize and secure approach and shooting of the seine.

Skipper can make any selection of parts of shoals to make his decision, thanks to the virtual cylinder tool.

3D-virtual-Seine-selection

 

Virtual-seine-selection

Fishing operation at a glance

Skipper takes advantage of perfect image od fishing scene with clear viw of Tuna only related to his vessel maneuvering, with 2D and 3D presention, corralated with navigation path of the vessel.

Large shoal control during shooting stage, biomass of Tuna is shown only and vessel wake is removed.

SeapiX is a unique system capable to describe Tuna shoal in the net and to perform analysis also in the net. Crew can adapt their hauling actions to reduce risk of gear damages and to avoid by catch and mortality, as stress level of fishes are clearly visible.

Tuna vessel while hauling the net, equipped with a Dual SeapiX system, coverage of 240° azimuth in Seine with shoal and net shape control.

Downloads

Quadrivolet for Pelagic Trawling

(1 MB)
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Quadrivolet for Bottom Trawling

(917 KB)
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Quadrivolet for Tuna Seining

(2 MB)
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