As aquaculture farms migrate further offshore, real-time environmental monitoring has become increasingly critical. This data informs farm design, feeding schedules, and ongoing operations in harsher conditions. Traditional monitoring systems are expensive, challenging to deploy and recover, and lack real-time capabilities for rapid decision-making.
The Spotter platform is a modular, rapidly deployable marine sensing buoy that delivers real-time surface and subsurface data to power better decisions. Users can attach up to two single-point acoustic Doppler current sensors at depths from 5 to 50 meters, ideal for net and mooring designs at aquaculture sites. The Spotter also supports temperature, pressure, dissolved oxygen, and hydrophone sensors, with a CTD and pH probe available by late 2025.
The Spotter Platform collects the wave and current data and transmits them in real time via satellite or cellular networks making them accessible through the Spotter Dashboard and API. The API seamlessly integrates with existing aquaculture specific software such as Aquacom, allowing entire organizations to leverage real-time data. Deploying multiple Spotter buoys allows for the co-location of current and wave measurements, enabling operators to make optimized decisions regarding site selection, allowing for a reduction in equipment failure risks, and improving feeding efficiency. Real-time access enables adaptive management, reducing downtime and increasing resilience to extreme weather. This equipment gives farm owners the ability to gain their NS9415 stamp.
The Spotter Platform provides a cost effective co-located monitoring solution that lowers capital expenditure for offshore aquaculture operations through real-time observations. Operating costs decrease with the reduction in cost for sensor deployment and installation, and improved decision-making for more streamlined maintenance, enhances productivity. Case studies will demonstrate cost benefits and operational improvements, reinforcing the value of real-time ocean data for optimizing offshore aquaculture.