Project number: 2017-141
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $84,640.00
Principal Investigator: Bill Sawynok
Organisation: Infofish Australia Pty Ltd
Project start/end date: 19 Dec 2017 - 30 Aug 2018
Contact:
FRDC

Need

There is a need to assess new technologies in collecting and assessing fish health data. New technologies offer the potential to increase sampling, speed up basic assessment, improve basic diagnostic accuracy, lower costs and possibly limit the need for pathology to when it is really needed. It also provides the opportunity to improve public reporting of fish health issues. While the original proposal by Infofish was unsuccessful we were invited to submit a revised proposal that focused on better automated data collection (Trackmyfish) and assessment (Machine Learning) to test the application of these technologies.

Objectives

1. To deploy tools to automate data collection and assessment of fish health using data collected in Gladstone Harbour as a trial.
2. To undertake structured data collection of fish samples using Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership’s sub-regions and the Boyne Tannum HookUp fishing competition.
3. To evaluate the potential to adapt the methods developed to monitor fish health in other estuaries and ports in Australia.

Final report

Authors: Bill Sawynok Stefan Sawynok Aaron Dunlop
Final Report • 3.71 MB
2017-141-DLD.pdf

Summary

In 2018 Infofish Australia Pty Ltd undertook a trial in Gladstone Harbour using machine learning tools to assess photos for fish health issues. The project was commissioned by the Fisheries 
Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and the Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership (GHHP) to evaluate a number of tools for the visual assessment of fish health.
 
The objectives of the project were:
  1. To deploy tools to automate data collection and assessment of fish health using data collected in Gladstone Harbour as a trial.
  2. To undertake structured data collection of fish samples using Gladstone Harbour Partnership’s reporting zones and the Boyne Tannum HookUp fishing competition.
  3. To evaluate the potential to adapt the methods developed to monitor fish health in other estuaries and ports in Australia.
The Infofish Trackmyfish phone app was used to take photos of both sides of a fish with samples collected from 13 GHHP reporting zones, at the Boyne Tannum HookUp (BTHU) fishing
competition, by the Central Queensland University in Gladstone Harbour and from ABT fishing tournaments around Australia. The target species were Yellowfin and Pikey Bream however
samples were collected from a range of other species. The fishing competition version of the Trackmyfish phone app has had a high rate of uptake with around 40 competitions around
Australia having used or will use the app in the coming months. This provides new opportunities to collect fish images to assess health issues.

Related research

Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2023-154
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Fish LIGHT - Low Impact Gears and innovative Harvest Technologies

1. Undertake gear trials with clear monitoring and assessment of gear performance against economic, ecological (including SOCI interactions) and social indicators.
ORGANISATION:
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QLD)
Industry
Industry