UCO and Mowi Expand ROV Innovation in Salmon Farming

Underwater Contracting (UCO) and Mowi have announced a significant expansion of their partnership, focusing on the integration of cutting-edge remotely operated vehicle (ROV) technology in salmon farming. This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring the highest welfare standards in aquaculture, and will see a 40% expansion in the number of ROV’s taken by Mowi for use on its sites.


Courtesy of UCO


UCO, with a focus on ROV development and subsurface innovation, supplies specialised tools and solutions tailored for the aquaculture industry. It maintains a particular emphasis on routine husbandry tasks such as mortality removal, net inspections, and general stock maintenance. With a dedication to making underwater tasks safer and more effective for fish farmers, UCO’s solutions offer reliable service levels, enabling farmers to focus on rearing healthy stock.

Michael Bower, Managing Director at UCO, said: "UCO is proud to provide solutions that solve subsurface challenges not only in aquaculture but also across industries such as renewable energy, oil and gas, and environmental surveying. Our research and development efforts, all based in Scotland, are key to delivering practical, useable solutions that enhance our customers’ operations."

Mowi, globally the largest salmon farming company with operations in eight regions and an annual production of close to half a million tonnes of salmon, has been a longstanding partner of UCO since 2018. Over the last five years, the use of ROV systems on Mowi farm sites has increased significantly. In a new extended agreement, Mowi has increased its ROV fleet to a record high over 25 ‘Foover’ units.

UCO’s ‘Foover’ mortality removal systems have been used on Mowi sites as an innovative solution that provides selective, efficient, and verifiable removal of mortalities from net pens. This system has proven vital in maintaining a high level of welfare among salmon stock, particularly in dealing with unpredictable environmental challenges such as jellyfish and algae blooms. ROVs serve as the ‘eyes and hands’ of farmers underwater, offering enhanced camera quality, advanced tooling and the ability to operate at depths that are difficult or unsafe for divers.

Next Phase of Innovation: Improving Fish Welfare with New Foover Technology
The next stage of UCO and Mowi’s partnership will focus on further enhancing the Foover system, developing capabilities for monitoring and removing surface moribund fish. Mowi Scotland’s track record of achieving 96% superior-grade fish at harvest reflects their ongoing commitment to ensuring optimal welfare standards. As part of this innovation, UCO and Mowi aim to provide farmers with a reliable system that can humanely euthanise the small number of fish that are injured or in poor health.


"Fish welfare is one of the most important concerns in modern aquaculture. By combining our expertise with Mowi’s industry-leading practices, we believe we can develop solutions that set new benchmarks for fish welfare," said Jamie Smith, Business Development Manager at UCO.

UCO now employs a team of 16 full-time staff based in Scotland, supporting global operations, with continued growth in R&D to meet the evolving needs of the aquaculture industry. This partnership with Mowi signals the next step in their shared mission to deliver sustainable, effective solutions that prioritise safety, efficiency, and welfare in fish farming.


Courtesy of UCO

Courtesy of UCO

Courtesy of UCO

Courtesy of UCO


Location: Scotland