Innovasea has launched a $4.8m project to develop an automated system that can identify fish species at hydropower sites. The company, which specialises in aquaculture technology and fish tracking, will work with Canadian power companies to test the system – called Species Aware – at selected hydroelectric dams. The initiative is one of six projects supported in part by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC).
“Through the Species Aware Project, we’re delivering the next wave of AI innovation for fish passage monitoring,” said Mark Jollymore, Innovasea CEO. “By automating species identification, we’re helping hydropower sites further streamline compliance, reduce downtime, and collect vital data to protect and support their surrounding ecosystem.”
The species-identification models will be integrated into Innovasea’s HydroAI platform, which uses artificial intelligence to provide real-time fish counts. The new models were trained on footage from field environments and use characteristics such as size, shape, and colour to classify fish as they move past cameras installed at hydropower facilities.
Innovasea will use the project to refine the technology ahead of broader deployment. “The ability to accurately classify fish species ushers in a new level of monitoring capability for HydroAI,” said Jean Quirion, Innovasea’s Vice President of Research and Development for Fish Tracking. “As part of the Species Aware project, we’re excited to develop this new capability, test it across diverse hydropower environments and prove its field effectiveness.”
The OSC is contributing more than $2 million to the project through Canada’s Pan-Canadian AI Strategy. The initiative aligns with the organisation’s Ambition 2035 plan to grow the nation’s ocean economy to $200 billion by 2035. According to OSC CEO Kendra MacDonald, “Projects like Species Aware show how Canadian innovation can advance clean energy while protecting biodiversity. By integrating AI into environmental monitoring, we’re unlocking renewable hydropower opportunities, creating high-value jobs, and strengthening Canada’s position as a global leader in sustainable ocean technology.”
