Deep Diving Into Ocean Data

Harnessing the power of ocean intelligence to inform blue economy industry development.

There is a rapidly growing global need for data-driven technologies across maritime sectors to enable blue economy development. The global aquaculture sector represents a great opportunity for growing the blue economy and producing sustainable and nutritious food at a large scale without harming the environment, but realizing the opportunity relies on the development of new technologies.

For example, aquaculture farming is currently experience-based; marine farmers are essentially farming in the dark with limited information available to them about their crop or on farm conditions unless they physically visit the site. Data-driven technologies for aquaculture represent one of the fastest growing data enterprises and Cawthron Institute aims to see New Zealand become a world-leader in this space.

Cawthron is a leading developer of new blue technologies in sectors such as biosecurity, open ocean aquaculture, remote sensors, environmental monitoring, ocean data and modelling solutions.

Our researchers have led a Spearhead project for New Zealand’s ‘Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge’ researching precision aquaculture. This research has produced sensors and data communication tools alongside data analytics that will enable aquaculture farmers to monitor their ocean farms remotely on their mobile phones or home computers. These outcomes are currently being leveraged into a new project called ‘Ocean Intelligence’, which will connect the sensors to the Ocean Intelligence platform and converts data into business insights, empowering farmers to manage their farms remotely. Project partners include Oceanum, a New Zealand-based company that specialises in producing state-of-the-art data science architecture to create insights from ocean data, and Tokomaru Research Centre, a Ngāti Rarua (a Māori tribal group based in Nelson) organisation committed to increasing and protecting Ngāti Rārua Mātauranga Māori (their unique tribal knowledge).

This platform will provide farmers with access to data products like dashboards, decision making tools and operational forecasts. This includes direct access to domain knowledge across marine sciences and sectors, including tools and models not currently available at local to regional scales (e.g. Harmful Algal Bloom forecaster).

Although initially focused on aquaculture, the venture represents a commercial pathway for Cawthron science to impact sectors spanning the entire blue economy (energy, ports and harbours, maritime, tourism, recreational fishers, insurance, defence, etc.).

Cawthron Institute has partnered with Oceanum to leverage the outputs of the Ocean Intelligence programme and launch a new company to make these technologies commercially available. We are currently developing and trialling prototypes for farmers and will be seeking investment to take the Ocean Intelligence platform to market.

Open Oceans of Opportunity

Overcoming the challenges of high-energy ocean conditions to produce sustainable and nutritious food offshore.

Back Up at the Border

Utilising nature-inspired solutions to prevent biofouling on vessels and underwater structures and protect marine and coastal ecosystems.