Autonomous net inspection and cleaning in sea-based fish farms: A review

In sea-based fish farms, biofouling and net damage are unavoidable challenges. To ensure safe, reliable, and sustainable fish production, timely monitoring of nets is crucial for detecting biofouling and net damage, along with providing decision support for subsequent maintenance and cleaning. In recent years, technological advancements have driven the automation of production processes, with a growing trend toward using robots instead of human labor for net operations in sea-based fish farms. However, there is a lack of a systematic review of autonomous net inspection and cleaning. This paper addresses this gap by reviewing and analyzing the current state of autonomous net inspection and cleaning in sea-based fish farms. Key technologies, including robot control, net inspection, and net cleaning, are summarized, along with their future development in practical applications. This paper also emphasizes Industry 4.0 technologies that support these advancements, such as sensors, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, and the digital twin (DT). Furthermore, advanced robotic solutions currently used for autonomous net inspection and cleaning, as well as their potential benefits and drawbacks, are presented. Finally, the challenges and future research directions are highlighted, offering valuable insights for institutions and companies working to enhance the autonomy and intelligence of net operations in sea-based fish farms.