GenusWave was founded in partnership with the biologists from the world-renowned University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Our main focus, Targeted Acoustic Startle Technology (TAST), deters marine mammals from human activities, ensuring their safety and minimizing disruption. TAST operates on the autonomous auditory startle reflex, triggering avoidance responses in target species without causing harm. Our technology provides the global aquaculture and fishing industries with the benefits of increased fish retention and reduced risk of marine mammal depredation, entanglement, and interference. Collaborative research, documented in the peer-reviewed literature, continues to explore future applications to benefit both people and wildlife.
We provide the only acoustic technology proven highly effective at reducing lost catch by fisheries and lowering salmon predation at fish farms by 90% or more. Showcasing the industry’s support of this solution, TAST was honoured with a Global Seafood Alliance Responsible Seafood Innovation Award in 2024 and an Aquaculture UK shortlisting in the Animal Health and Welfare category in 2025.
Read on to learn how GenusWave supports environmentally friendly aquaculture, helps fisheries minimise marine mammal interactions, and keeps pinnipeds away from endangered salmon in rivers.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) have launched a groundbreaking field project deploying Targeted Acoustic Startle Technology (TAST) to reduce seal predation on salmon in the Fraser River this season. This marks the first application of TAST in Canada.
Read OnNon-lethal management of carnivore predation: long-term tests with a startle reflex-based deterrence system on a fish farm – Animal Conservation
→Target specific acoustic predator deterrence in the marine environment – Animal Conservation
→Acoustic deterrent devices to prevent pinniped depredation: Efficiency, conservation, and possible solutions – Marine Ecology Progress Series
→Repeated elicitation of the acoustic startle reflex leads to sensitization in subsequent avoidance behavior and induces fear conditioning – BMC Neuroscience
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