5 January 2026 news
New studies introduce a cutting-edge engineering framework for understanding behavior, welfare, and feeding dynamics in farmed Atlantic cod. By merging continuous acoustic monitoring, signal-processing workflows, and parametric environmental modeling, the research provides the most detailed quantitative picture to date of how cod interact with their surroundings and feeding systems in commercial sea-cage farms.
Figure 1: Depth distribution of farmed Cod across different cages and time segments (Seg1: July 31–August 27, Seg2: August 28–September 22, Seg3: August 27–October 9). Blue, red, and green colours represent Segment 1, Segment 2, and Segment 3, respectively. The horizontal axis shows the 15th percentile depth, indicating the shallower bounds of fish distribution, while the vertical axis shows the 85th percentile, indicating the deeper bounds. The yellow dashed curve represents a hypothetical trajectory of biomass transition across the entire observation period.
“This work shows how advanced acoustic and analytical methods can transform biological observation into engineering-grade decision support,” says Dr. Peygham Ghaffari, Senior Scientist. He emphasizes that the team’s use of long-duration echosounder data, vertical biomass distribution modeling, and multi-parameter correlation analysis made it possible to extract robust behavioral indicators from highly variable farm environments.
“By applying time-series signal processing and parametric modeling, we could clearly link shifts in biomass depth, column use, and school structure to temperature profiles, current regimes, and feeding depth. This demonstrates how behavioral data can be operationalized for precision feeding and welfare monitoring.”
On the behavioral science side, Dr. Thor Magne Jonassen, Senior Scientist, explains the biological significance behind the engineering findings: "The acoustic data reveal distinct behavioral modes in cod—tight schooling, synchronized vertical movement, and sharp depth selection—that correspond directly to feeding strategy and environmental stressors. Cod consistently avoided warm surface layers and showed more cohesive, stable behavior under submerged feeding.” He adds, “These insights provide a behavioral foundation for redesigning feeding systems to match cod’s natural depth preferences, reduce thermal stress, and improve overall welfare.”
Figure 2: Energy Expenditure and periodic movement pattern. (Top right) Scatter plot of reference vs. experimental cage energy expenditure (MJ), with a linear regression line (red) and confidence interval shading. The inset shows a magnified density heatmap, highlighting both cages’ most frequent energy levels. (Bottom left) Time series of residual energy (KJ) with a moving average (red line) corresponds to a 24-h window width and shaded residual deviations. The dashed blue line represents the zero reference. Periods of feeding (green background) and starvation (gray background) are highlighted. (Top left) Power Spectral Density of the averaged CoM movement across all experimental and reference cages. The 𝑥-axis represents frequency (cpd), while the 𝑦-axis represents PSD (m2 cpd−1).
The study also integrates these acoustically derived behavioral metrics with growth performance and production efficiency. Together, the research demonstrates that linking engineering-level acoustic analytics with behavioral ecology offers a powerful new approach for optimizing feeding technology, welfare assessment, and operational planning in the developing cod-farming industry.
These scientific advances were carried out as part of the FORCOD Project, a national initiative dedicated to the development of the technological and biological foundations for sustainable cod aquaculture: Utvikling av fôrstrategier for torsk for bedre produksjon og fiskehelse / Akvaplan-niva.
For more details about the publications, see:
Behavioral response of farmed Cod to environmental drivers and interaction with feeding practice (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0144860925000494)
Evaluating submerged and surface feeding strategies in farmed Atlantic Cod: Energetic and production perspectives (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144860925001025)
