AI becomes 'crab catching assistant'

The seafood industry, especially crab fishing, is traditionally laborious, manual, and requires meticulous attention to detail at every step. But that may be about to change with AI.

SeafoodAI has created a “crab-catching assistant” for fishermen. Photo: Jason Henry for B I

A Palo Alto, California-based tech startup called SeafoodAI has created CrabScan360, a device that uses AI to help fishermen measure, classify, and record information about each crab they catch. They call it a “tireless sailor.”

Crab fishing has long been considered one of the most laborious and laborious manual jobs in the seafood industry. On each trip, fishermen must prepare traps, drop them to the seabed, mark the coordinates with a GPS device, then return to the mainland to wait. After about 12 to 24 hours, or sometimes up to a week, they return to the same original location, pull up the net and begin sorting each crab.

This step requires meticulousness and strict compliance with local regulations on the size and weight of crabs allowed to be harvested. Fishermen must measure each crab, determine its gender, classify it, count its quantity, and then record the information by hand in a logbook. This takes a lot of time and effort, especially in the context of market demand increasingly oriented towards sustainable products with clear origin.

CrabScan360 comes in two versions. The small portable version was launched in April. The device is about the size of a carry-on suitcase and can be quickly installed on a boat or at the port. Fishermen simply place each crab on the device, and the system automatically takes a photo, analyzes it, and records the necessary parameters. All data is stored instantly.

A second version is being developed for processing plants. The device is fully automated. Crabs are loaded onto a conveyor belt and passed through a scanning system. Each crab is analyzed and sorted according to its own criteria. Each scan creates an electronic record with the time, location, and full information about the crab. This data is uploaded to a cloud storage platform and can be accessed remotely.

According to Rob Terry, founder and CEO of SeafoodAI, the technology creates a “digital fingerprint” for each crab. This allows users to track the entire journey of each batch of crab from trap to factory, from the time of catching to the final processing stage. This not only reduces errors and losses but also creates a clear and transparent supply chain.

As major retail chains like Walmart, Costco, and Whole Foods commit to selling only certified sustainable seafood by 2027, traceability is becoming a must-have. SeafoodAI’s technology can help fishermen and small businesses meet this requirement without major investment.

Not stopping at crabs, SeafoodAI is expanding its research to apply AI technology to data collection and analysis for other seafood species such as tuna, salmon and shrimp. Each species has different biological characteristics and assessment requirements, requiring separate sensor systems and AI models. The company hopes to build a large database, connecting fishermen, factories, management agencies and distributors in real time. This is a direction that is expected to bring efficiency and transparency to the entire supply chain, especially for small and medium-sized producers.

Mr. Terry said that their goal is to build a modern, easy-to-apply solution that is suitable for the rapidly changing global consumption trends. This solution not only helps to optimize the fishing process but also contributes to enhancing the value and reputation of seafood products of the profession.

Source: https://znews.vn/ai-thanh-tro-ly-bat-cua-post1552195.html