WellFish Diagnostics

WellFish Diagnostics is a spinout company from the University of the West of Scotland that has developed an innovative method for assessing fish health in the aquaculture industry. The company's technology enables fish farmers to continuously monitor the health of their fish populations through non-lethal blood sampling, a significant improvement over traditional methods that often required euthanizing fish for testing. WellFish's approach involves providing fish farmers with specialized kits and training to collect blood samples, which are then sent to the company's state-of-the-art laboratory at UWS's Paisley campus for analysis. The samples are interpreted using an algorithm-based AI model, and results are delivered to farmers within 24 hours through a dedicated web portal.

This rapid turnaround allows farmers to make data-informed decisions, identify potential health issues early, and take proactive measures to maintain fish welfare. The technology also contributes to knowledge transfer within the aquaculture sector by enabling farmers and industry professionals to access data and identify emerging trends in fish health management. As of March 2022, WellFish Diagnostics was working with the entire Scottish salmon sector, a large trout farm, and producers in Ireland and Norway. The company had plans for international expansion, including Norway in 2022 and further growth into South America and Canada by 2023.

Key customers and partnerships

WellFish Diagnostics has established partnerships with various entities in the aquaculture industry. The company works with the entire Scottish salmon sector and has collaborated with Kames, a trout farmer in Scotland. Additionally, WellFish has partnered with producers in Ireland and Norway to provide its fish health monitoring technology and services. The company's development has been supported by several organizations, including the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), the UK Seafood Innovation Fund, and Scottish Enterprise's High Growth Spinout Programme. WellFish has also received funding from Innovate UK and contributions from sector partners, demonstrating strong industry backing for its innovative approach to fish health diagnostics in aquaculture.