How can lights power Europe’s agribusiness?

“With our LED lighting we help customers to improve the efficiency of sea-based salmon farms, enhance feed conversion rates, reduce food costs and lower risk of infection," said Bien.

Fish depend on light to determine the time and seasons, and this assists with food conversion rates and overall growth. But in larger and deeper pens, as well as rougher seas in the open water, light often fails to pierce the surface.

But with Signify’s seacage and hatchery lighting range, up to 100,000 lumens of LED’s are evenly distributed throughout the water column, specifically targeting dark spots and simulating the biological rhythms of the fish. The spread of deeper lights promotes the animals to swim deeper, avoiding surface-living sea lice larvae and converting food more effectively, which reduces marine pollution and increases animal welfare.

The lighting so successfully used in salmon farming is equally relevant to the EU’s Sea Bream/Sea Bass industry. The latter, which is centred in the Mediterranean Sea – in particular Greece, Italy and Spain – stands to benefit from this technology as demand for these types of fish soars. According to market research firm IMARC, the global market for Sea Bream and Sea Bass grew at a CAGR of around 5% from 2015-2020.

If fish is ultimately going to remain on the menu for the foreseeable future – and it looks likely – then practices like this are crucial, while sustainable fish farming needs to greatly expand overall.

Now, Signify is calling for post-pandemic stimulus packages, both in Europe and outside of the bloc, to support lighting innovations, not only in aquaculture, but in the larger market for horticultural lighting and vertical farming. The latter represents another healthy ingredient for sustainable food production. Vertical indoor farming, made possible by optimized light recipes for example, uses less water, eliminates the need for pesticides, and lowers food miles.

“The adoption of digital technology in aquaculture and farming overall supports the common goals of many governmental stimulus programs to reduce carbon emissions and increase biodiversity by taking the pressure off natural resources,” said Harry Verhaar, Head of Signify’s Public and Government Affairs. “Policymakers have a golden opportunity to stimulate investment in agribusiness and reduce the distance from farm to fork. If we are smart about how we use our resources, we can help feed the planet and support biodiversity. These should not be mutually exclusive but complementary goals.”