FPS has designed and built six custom net hauler units for Sanford’s Big Glory Bay salmon farm on Stewart Island. 

These units help with safe and stress-free salmon harvesting. The net is sunk to bottom of pen (where the salmon are raised). When it is time to harvest or grade the fish, the net is lifted from the bottom of the pen with the hydraulic ‘haulers’ and can be set on an angle to get the fish from one end of pen to the other.  

Manufactured in FPS’ Port Nelson workshop, the entire system is marinised as much as possible to improve durability and the lifespan of the unit. 

For FPS’ Hydraulic Designer Owen Little, it was important to ensure the unit was practical, reliable and not too complicated. 

Safety is also at the forefront of the design.

The hauler heads sit on custom-built marinised trolleys and includes a bespoke version of the FPS Safe Stop Safety Valve. The valve prevents operators getting their hands caught by automatically shutting the operation of the unit down if a safety guard is raised – removing the risk of human error. 

Sanford was so impressed with the safety and design of the first hauler unit in July 2024, it commissioned five more for their salmon farming operations, and these were delivered in October 2024. There has been interest in this technology from other aquaculture companies as well.