Towards Precision Aquaculture: A High Performance, Cost-effective IoT approach

Abstract: Demand for ocean-based high-quality and sustainable fish protein soared in the last decade. Unlike precision agriculture, aquaculture remains an under-equipped farming activity. To fully realise a vision of \textit{precision aquaculture}, smart IoT can offer the essential tools to local producers worldwide. This paper addresses the question of whether it is feasible to deploy a water quality sensor network in aquaculture for real-time user visualisation and decision making. The proposed system design and its implementation have been validated in a typical aquaculture farming facility. Preliminary results suggest the approach is feasible for short to medium LoRa communication range (up to 110m from outdoor water tanks). Although sensor data loss occurred, the end-to-end data path from the water sensors up to the user's monitoring app has been a positive outcome. The proposed IoT system approach provides the ground for a sustainable precision aquaculture