How Submersible Pens Can Protect Fish Farms from Rising Sea Temperatures

In 2024, the Mediterranean Sea logged a record-breaking average daily temperature of 28.90°C (84.02°F). Scientists scientific models show that rising sea temperatures, especially in the Mediterranean, are leading to longer, stronger, and more frequent storms in the area. 

This rise in environmental events can seriously affect the area’s offshore aquaculture sites, which rely on surface-level pens. These powerful storms can cause extensive damage to these structures, leading to stock losses, costly equipment, and operational setbacks – all of which lead to financial losses.   

Submersible aquaculture systems can help mitigate these risks, delivering farms a resilient and sustainable alternative to surface-level pens. Below, we’ll explore the top three advantages of this design. 

Three Advantages of a Submersible Aquaculture System 

#1 Reduced Wave Impact  

With a submersible pen, farms can better protect the structure from the high wave energy found at the surface. This is because wave energy dissipates with depth, meaning the farther down you go, the less movement there is. It stops almost completely at the “wave base,” which is half the distance of the two wave peaks. For readers that dive themselves, the best thing to do on a rough sea is to jump in!  

 Submersible pens allow offshore farms to protect their sites from the impact of surface waves by leveraging the ocean’s depth. This reduces the strain on their pens, offering a more stable and safer environment for the fish, especially during rough weather conditions.  

Even in areas with moderate wave energy, severe storms that will jeopardize your farm (and profits) are becoming more frequent, making it essential to have a system that not only withstands daily wear but provides reliable protection when intense storms hit. 

#2 Effective Temperature Regulation  

Rising water temperatures impact fish health and growth. Submersible pens shield fish from warmer surface waters and return them to cooler, better growing conditions.  

As ocean temperatures rise, maintaining optimal water temperatures becomes a challenge. By creating the ability to submerge into a cooler, more consistent and optimum environment, operators can protect their stocks better from diseases and parasites, which often thrive in the warmer surface waters. 

#3 Seamless Integration  

Submersible pens have the added benefit of reducing their environmental footprint and offering a more discreet, recreation-friendly alternative to surface-based structures. With a submersible pen, farms can be built closer to shore without obstructing ocean views.  

This offers farms more location flexibility, particularly in coastal areas that rely on tourism, allowing them to enjoy an unobstructed view of the ocean during the day and fresh farmed fish on the dinner table at night.   

Healthier Fish, Fewer Impacts 

Discover how Innovasea’s submersible net pens can empower the aquaculture industry to adapt to rising sea temperatures and changing ocean conditions. With our Innovative collection of submersible systems – the SeaStation, SeaVolution Pen and SeaProtean Pen – we’re helping sites around the world farm fresh, sustainable fish even as surface conditions become more challenging.