Submerged fishing and aquaculture is the way of the future, and Fiomarine’s technology is at the forefront of this revolution. By offering a simple solution for accessing submerged farms and fishing operations Fiomarine can provide fishermen greater flexibility in their fishing operations as well as helping combat:
- Poaching
- Ghost fishing
- Public protest against aquaculture development
- Shrinking lease availability
- Diver dependence, and
- Marine animal entanglement.
Experiencing one or more of these problems in your fishing operations? Fill out an
enquiry form and we will get back to you within two business days to help solve them.
The idea for a
Fiobuoy actually grew out of a fishing incident that John Fiotakis, Fiomarine CEO, was involved in back in the 1980s. A surface marker buoy could have easily ended John's life. He was lucky, and also realized the incident could have been avoided if the buoy had been kept submerged. So he invented a Fiobuoy.
Learn more about the fishing incident that started it all.
Poaching
Fiomarine's technology keeps everything hidden underwater. Many fishing & aquaculture operations are extremely valuable and can be protected by Fiomarine's technology. By removing surface marker buoys, Fiomarine keeps everything submerged underwater and invisible to poachers and thieves.
Ghost Fishing
Ghost fishing represents significant losses to fishermen and is a major environmental problem for many fishing sectors. It not only litters the seabed with fishing equipment such as traps, cages and nets but it can also contribute to diminished species. It is mostly caused by ships or other vessels cutting off lines tethered to surface marker buoys. Fiomarine can remove entire fishing & aquaculture operations from a ship's path by keeping it completely submerged and protected underwater.
Public Protest Against Aquaculture Development
Public protest against aquaculture development is making it increasingly difficult for farmers to gain approval for leases. Protests are often based on a perceived decrease in waterway access and loss of visual amenity to the coastal area or town. Fiomarine can help combat both these issues by keeping farms submerged and invisible from the surface. A submerged farm not only removes much of the visual pollution caused by surface marker buoys, but also keeps waterway surfaces free for fishing boats and other vessels to pass over.
Shrinking Lease Availability
The number of aquaculture farms has and continues to grow exponentially in many countries. Coasts are limited and in many areas have reached capacity in regards to aquaculture farms. This is forcing farmers to consider offshore areas for their leases. Offshore waters are subject to much harsher weather and ocean conditions, therefore to protect stock it is necessary to submerge farms underwater. Fiomarine's technology provides a simple solution for keeping farms secure underwater and accessing them.
Dependence On Drivers
Fiomarine's technology, as an alternative to divers, can save fishermen both time and money. Divers are expensive to hire and / or train and certify and are also at risk of injury and illness when diving. Fiomarine offers a cost-effective and faster alternative for retrieving submerged farms and fishing operations. Utilising divers represents an ongoing cost, whereas a Fiomarine solution is a once-off cost that will make accessing your fish stock simple and fast for ten years or more.
Marine Animal Entanglement
The fishing & aquaculture industry faces increasing pressure to ensure their operations pose minimal threat to marine animals. One simple method of control is to reduce the amount of the water column that is occupied by fishing gear and fish farms. With Fiomarine's technology there is no need to make costly alterations to fishing & aquaculture equipment. A Fiomarine system can be easily integrated into existing fishing operations to minimize the risk of entanglement.
