Optimizing salmon farm cage net management using integer programming

CISTERNAS, FRANCISCO; DELLE DONNE, DIEGO; DURAN, GUILLERMO ALFREDO; POLGATIZ, CRISTIAN; WEINTRAUB, ANDRES

JOURNAL OF THE OPERATIONAL RESEARCH SOCIETY

PALGRAVE MACMILLAN LTD

Año: 2013 vol. 64 p. 735 - 747

0160-5682

Salmon farming in Chile constitutes one of the nation?s principal food exporting sectors. In the seawaterstage, one of the most important in the farm production chain, salmon are cultivated in floating cagesfitted with nets that hold the fish during the entire grow-out process. The maintenance of the cage nets iscarried out at land-based facilities. This article reports on the creation of an integer programming toolfor grow-out centres that optimizes resource use, improves planning and generates economic evaluationsfor supporting analysis and decision-making relating to the maintenance, repair and periodic changingof cage nets. The tool prototype was tested in a single operating area of one of Chile?s largest salmonfarmers. The results demonstrated a reduction in net maintenance costs of almost 18%, plus a series ofimportant qualitative benefits. Implementation of the tool by farm operators awaits the end of thecurrent crisis in the industry.