Experts in underwater imaging technology are trialling the use of a system that could see 3D digital models being used by Scottish seafood producers, to map out and monitor complex marine environments.
Led by Tritonia Scientific with support from the Lyell Centre at Heriot-Watt university, seafood producer Mowi and the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), the company is testing the effectiveness of using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to create digital twins of the seabed.
Over the next 12 months, Tritonia will be developing a digital record of hard substrate found at selected Mowi sites, using a technique known as georeferenced photogrammetry. In comparison to soft seabed – where sediment samples can be taken easily – monitoring hard substrates can prove challenging because of the low visibility of the water when using dives or drop-down cameras. In addition, the hard nature of the seabed makes taking samples difficult.
"Using imaging technology could help the aquaculture sector to gain a much more detailed, accurate picture of the complex seabeds they are operating beside or above," explains Martin Sayer, managing director at Tritonia Scientific. "Our hope is that the system could ultimately support regulation and environmental monitoring in ways that would provide the levels of evidence that would be necessary for future sustainable operations."
The system will be using underwater ROVs linked to water GPS technology and acoustic transponders, all of which will work to capture digital images of the seabed to assess current and future finfish farms and identify the presence of protected habitats and essential ecosystems in Scotland's coastal seas.
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| Image credit: SAIC |
Using these images, Tritonia will then create an accurate 3D model which will display physical characteristics and be used alongside comparison software to monitor changes to the seabed.
The company currently uses 3D photogrammetry to survey and monitor marine renewable installations, piers and harbours, and inform decommissioning programmes in the oil and sector. This project represents their first step into aquaculture and could present significant opportunities for companies in the sector to obtain accurate digital records of the seabed.
From a single ROV dive, a high number of data and images can be captured to provide producers with accurate information, such as the volume and area of geographical features. It can also be used to detect protected habitats which, while difficult to map, are an important consideration when it comes to making decisions about potential fish farm locations.
"Technology is becoming increasingly important for the aquaculture sector and collaborative research projects and trials can be an increasingly valuable demonstration of the real-world applications of new data-led techniques," says Heather Jones, CEO of SAIC. "In this case, we could see ROVs and imaging technology playing a vital role in monitoring the sector's environmental impact and increasing its economic impact by supporting future decisions about farm locations and possible expansion."
"Costal habitats are some of the most physically and biologically diverse ecosystems on our plant … Monitoring the effect of coastal industry and human activity on these habitats is crucial for understanding how best to protect them, but it remains logistically difficult," says Dr Heidi Burdett, associate professor at the Lyell Centre.
"This project will allow us to overcome this using a scalable and flexible approach that brings the seabed into a virtual laboratory," Dr Burdett concludes.
The Aquaculturists
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