Marine fish farming is in rapid development. Dimensions are expected to increase and locations are being moved to areas exposed to more energetic waves and stronger currents. Collapse of fish farms, with large-scale fish escape to the level experienced in the past, will not be tolerated. New and extreme loading scenarios need to be properly designed for by means of first principles methods to meet required safety levels and performance. Hydrodynamic loads and motions on fish farms in severe waves and current will be studied. Limiting operational conditions, fatigue and ultimate strength assessment, are examples of focused research areas.

Level of autonomy will be enhanced through assessing nonlinear passive control and supervisory-switched control for load reduction and configuration control subject to varying environmental conditions for marginally dimensioned offshore structures to survive in harsh environments. The investigations will be targeted to enable reliable prediction of hydroelastic behaviour, wave overtopping, viscous loads on the nets, wake-interaction effects inside the net, net damage and fish escape.