Size sorting salmon is common practice – but there is a better way

Salmon farming has long relied on sorting by size to manage feeding, health, and logistics from early in the fish’s life cycle. Typically, young salmon weighing between 40 and 100 grams are grouped by size to maintain uniformity. However, as the salmon grow—sometimes reaching harvest weights of up to 6,000 grams—significant size disparities reappear, complicating logistics and impacting profitability.

Sorting by gender offers a new approach that taps into the natural growth differences between male and female salmon, resulting in healthier, more consistent growth across their lifecycle.

Stian Rognlid, CEO of Aquaticode, notes, “Size sorting has been the standard for so long, but it’s only addressing part of the picture. When we sort by gender instead, we align with the biology of the fish, which leads to more sustainable growth and, ultimately, a more profitable operation.”

Studies have shown that female-only tanks achieve a 5% increase in growth compared to mixed groups, while male salmon grow up to 20% faster. This faster growth can effectively shorten production cycles, translating into substantial operational savings. Gender-based sorting, a practice already popular in Chile where approximately 100 million salmon are sorted by hand each year, has shown strong potential for improving the bottom line—by over 20%, according to some estimates.

Enter SORTpro: High-tech, high-precision sortng

Aquaticode’s SORTpro solution takes gender sorting to a new level by automating the process with unparalleled precision. Powered by advanced AI and capable of sorting up to 10,000 juvenile fish per hour, SORTpro integrates seamlessly with vaccination procedures, which is crucial in large-scale hatchery operations.

Beyond gender sorting, SORTpro’s technology also identifies fish that may struggle to survive or thrive in production, detecting early signs of maturation, disease, or deformities. “With SORTpro, we can optimize resources by focusing on the fish that are most likely to succeed,” Rognlid explains. “It’s a game-changer for farm efficiency, especially in an industry where margins can be tight.”

As salmon farming continues to scale, tools like SORTpro could mark a turning point for the industry. Rognlid sums it up: “Sorting by size has its place, but combining it with gender sorting allows us to set the fish up for success across their lifecycle—and that benefits everyone, from the farmer to the consumer.”