University of Alaska Fairbanks SCHOOL OF FISHERIES AND OCEAN SCIENCES  
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Research

Digital Observer Smart Tag III.

Problem: Quality improvement is effective in increasing Alaskan salmon’s value.

Solution and Approach: With computer programmed “Smart Tags” (waterproof data loggers) affixed to the fish at time of harvest, we plan to improve, test and develop a post-harvest, integrated quality and data tracking system to monitor fish quality and record its history. Additionally, we will take bacterial swabs to measure microbial populations from the tagged fish at the point of harvest, when the fish are boxed at a seafood plant, and just as the fish arrive at a destination in Chicago or Japan. We will also capture digital images of the left and right sides of those fish at each swabbing. The tags, swabs, and images will provide us with a vertically-integrated record of fish quality over time and space. The project will perform quality assessments on the fishes once they reach their destination. We will compare fish quality among the salmon fishing regions of Alaska and among fishes harvested by different gear types and whether the fish were delivered into the traditional market or were directly-marketed by fishermen. Our data will have the dual effect of informing Alaskans about methods to improve fish quality. It will also assure the customer outside Alaska that the product is of optimal quality as it allows the consumer to learn both the provenance of the food and its history. Project Goals are:

  1. Refine the deployment and increase the sample size of the Smart Tags tested in 2002-4.
  2. Supply sample smart tags to a variety of quality seafood harvesters in 5 Alaskan fisheries (Southeast troll, Copper River sockeye salmon, Kodiak live-harvest sockeye, Chignik traditional-harvest, Chignik Co-Op dead-harvest, and Chignik live-harvest sockeye salmon) to attach to their fish and monitor their handling.
  3. Work with end distributors (Plitt in Chicago and Norquest in Tokyo) to validate the effectiveness of the Smart Tags under appropriate ‘real world’ conditions.
  4. Swab each fish three times: immediately after it is hauled aboard a fishing vessel or processing plant, just before the packing crew at the plant puts the lid on the box, and when the fish arrives at Plitt’s office in Chicago or Norquest’s customer in Tokyo.
  5. Perform laboratory analyses on the swabs in Alaska, Chicago and Tokyo to determine bacterial growth.

Note: this project is ongoing

Contact person: Mr. Mark Buckley email: mkbuckley@alaska.com.