Protecting Marine Sanctuaries

New solutions to help protect and preserve the Hawaiian and American Samoa marine sanctuaries and monuments will be developed through a multi-year agreement between Liquid Robotics and NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) Pacific Islands Region (PIR).

At the core of the long-term environmental monitoring and surveillance of the Pacific’s most diverse and endangered underwater ecosystems will be Liquid Robotics’ Wave Glider, an autonomous surface ocean robot that will be used to help address long-term monitoring and scientific data collection gaps that are not economically feasible with traditional research assets. Allen Tom, Regional Director, Office of NMS Pacific Islands Regional Director, said, “Utilizing the latest technology in marine sciences helps us protect some of the older marine ecosystems in the world — a truly groundbreaking opportunity for ONMS and Liquid Robotics.” Liquid Robotics said the use of autonomous systems and services to augment NOAA’s ONMS current resources will enhance their ability to assess and evaluate the increasing threats posed by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU); water quality and marine debris; coral reef damage and bleaching; and climate change. “Over the past decade, we’ve partnered with NOAA scientists on projects ranging from ocean acidification, to measuring Arctic waves to collecting storm intensity data from the surface of the hurricane,” said Gary Gysin, President and CEO of Liquid Robotics. “This collaboration takes our partnership to a new level as we provide Wave Glider technology and services to help preserve, protect and sustain the Hawaiian and American Samoa marine sanctuaries and ocean we all hold dear.” Read more at Marine Technology News