Cflow: Straight into our mantra
Cflow is one of the world's leading equipment suppliers of live fish handling systems, and develops, designs and manufactures complete handling systems for the fisheries and aquaculture industry. - "Ecofive" is right in the middle of our core area and is right at the core of our philosophy, says Gunnar Hoff, CMO at Cflow.
- It is very nice that "Ecofive" was named Ship of the Year 2023. Tore Roaldsnes has fought for this for so long, so it is very nice, says a smiling CMO in Cflow, Gunnar Hoff, when Skipsrevyen visits the company which has supplied pipes and systems for handling the fish, as well as a unique spa department which will ensure that the fish on board "Ecofive" are looked after in the best possible way.
Cflow is involved in most aspects of fish handling on board the innovation.
- The unique thing is that the vessel will trawl the fish with a completely new method to take the fish on board. Instead of taking the big heaves, "Ecofive" takes in relatively small heaves which in turn reduce the pressure on the fish to the minimum. This in turn results in less stressed fish, which in its ripple effect results in fewer injuries to fish and less blood fish, explains Hoff.
In the middle of the core area
With a focus on sustainability and not least fish welfare, the project fits perfectly into the heart of Cflow's ideology *Technology on nature's terms' where they say that their goal is zero scale loss' The company currently has no less than five biologists employed with full focus on to optimize the systems and processes.
- A weld is no longer just a weld. Nothing is left to chance, but has a constant focus on welfare, handling and predictability. For us, this project is very, very big. It has affected our culture and what we have worked with and against for so many years. Today we have come down to individual level - then we have come a long way, says a clearly proud Hoff.
Own spa department on board - for the fish
At the end of the trawl is a pipe that leads the fish straight into a live fish tank - or fish SPA, as Cflow has chosen to call it. The spa has been the basic idea for Cflow:
- The fish stays there and recovers. Restitution repairs the fish, and when it is allowed to stand for a while and relax in perfect water quality, good flow, oxygen and the right temperature, the fish actually becomes better than it was before it was caught.
After standing in the spa department for a while, optimally four to six hours, it is pumped up in the factory and then goes directly to slaughter.
- This process is so quick that the fish barely notices anything before it is euthanized in a humane way. It does not cause additional stress to the fish; the last thing it knows is that it was allowed to relax in a perfect climate, says Hoff.
For a long time it has been up for discussion whether trawling is humane or in line with good fish welfare. Now, in any case, "Ecofive" can opt out for both parts.
- With this type of process throughout, it will also be far easier to get a good calculation of process flow in the factory; the person in charge of the bløgge department himself controls the flow of fish to the department, and thus you also avoid the large quantities of fish and the stress it causes for both people and fish.
- I think it will be far more pleasant to work in such a boat where the crew avoids the "peaks" that stress you further.
Full faith in "Ecofive"
Hoff has full faith that the new vessel will be able to assert itself well.
- It is known technology put into a system in a different way, where a lot has been obtained from both fisheries for salmon and vice versa. That's what's so fun; that it is a combination of fishing boat, well boat and process boat. It will be exciting to begin the start-up of the vessel and there is a lot of new here, but there is nothing to suggest that it will be impossible, concludes Hoff.
