Customer reference
E. Karstensen Fish Farming
"We would not have been able to make the world's best salmon without EG InControl".
"Without this system, it would have become very cumbersome for us"
Nils Tore Karstensen is a second-generation fish farmer. In the open sea off Florø, he perhaps produces the world's finest Atlantic salmon. "We wouldn't have achieved this without EG InControl. Such tools are absolutely crucial for fish health and the quality we deliver worldwide," says Nils Tore.
World's Finest Salmon
The chairman of E. Karstensen Fish Farm stands at the edge of the fish pens, as far west on our coast as you can get. It's a place Nils Tore feels more at home than most. But he's not alone. "Here, we produce what I believe is the world's finest salmon. It can be rough out here, but the salmon thrive in clear, fresh, and cold water," says Nils Tore, gesturing across the pens in the rugged sea.
"Right here, we have 600-700,000 salmon spread across six pens. Here, we produce an important and high-quality source of protein. Healthy and delicious food that we send out into the world, and we're very proud of that," Nils Tore explains.
Pioneers in Aquaculture
The landscape outside Florø is dramatic, with tall cliffs, mountains, and countless islands and rocks. Out here, E. Karstensen Fish Farm was among the very first aquaculture pioneers to start salmon farming over 50 years ago. Back then, it was a lot of trial and error without today's technological possibilities.
"Our father started back in 1971, so he's one of the pioneers in Norwegian aquaculture. I often think about the development since he started. Now everything is computer-controlled. There's been a lot of progress in technology and equipment," Nils Tore recounts.
To deliver the world's best salmon, it's absolutely crucial that our fish are well taken care of, and that's where InControl becomes a valuable and essential tool for us.Nils Tore Karstensen, Chairman
One of the most important tools he has in his daily work is the digital aquaculture platform, InControl Aquaculture, which is a complete web-based internal control system with modules tailored to the various activities in the aquaculture industry. Over 50 aquaculture companies use InControl from EG.
"Everything is registered and logged in InControl every day. We have full control digitally over both feed overview, internal control, and HSE, so we can monitor it closely. Without this system, it would be very cumbersome for us," says the chairman.
Critical for Quality
EG InControl also addresses one of the most significant challenges for the aquaculture industry, namely, monitoring lice infestations. "We take fish out to check if everything looks good and if there are any lice. And if there are lice on the fish, it gets recorded in InControl. If you want proper control over your production, you need such a system."
Nils Tore is focused on ensuring optimal conditions for the salmon because that's what produces the best product. Every year, he sends 18 million dinners to the market, and customers expect to receive the world's finest ingredients.
"To be able to deliver the world's best salmon, we are entirely dependent on our fish being healthy, and that's where InControl is a good and essential tool for us."
Challenge
Until a few years ago, they meticulously recorded all activities in notebooks scattered around the various facilities. However, the company's rapid growth, coupled with heightened demands from authorities, necessitated greater oversight and periodic maintenance. The solution was EG InControl.
Solution
Now, the caretakers out at the facilities receive daily checklists covering everything that needs to be inspected and various tasks that need to be carried out. Once a task is completed, it's logged with a simple tap on their mobile phones. This makes it easy to ensure that everything, from equipment cleaning to fish feeding, happens on time and as it should. And best of all: With a proper quality system in place, operations coordinator Øyvind can easily generate comprehensive reports for the authorities—or for Chairman Nils Tore.
Result
The Karstensen family has been engaged in fish farming since 1971 and was among the first to release salmon into the sea. Today, this small family business produces a staggering 18 million salmon meals annually.
E. Karstensen Fiskeoppdrett
About the company
E. Karstensen Fiskeoppdrett AS is among the leaders in the use of cleaner fish in Norway and is one of the initiators behind Sunnfjord Rensefisk AS, which specializes in ballan wrasse production. Karstensen has also invested in optical delousing, utilizing lasers for continuous and sustainable delousing of salmon.