OVOL and SNMREC Researchers Awarded DOE Grant for Marine Mammal Monitoring System
Researchers in HBOI's Ocean Visibility and Optics Lab (OVOL) and FAU's Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC) were recently awarded a $556,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a two-year project that will help to ensure the safety of marine animals near ocean-based projects. OVOL's Dr. Fraser Dalgleish is technical principal investigator and SNMREC's Susan Skemp is the business principal investigator. Together with their respective teams, they will develop and test an optical monitoring system for endangered and threatened species of marine mammals. The system will provide automated tracking and notification of the presence of managed animals within established perimeters, and will provide high resolution imagery of their behavior through a wide range of conditions. The technological innovation being proposed will address a high priority regulatory requirement to observe marine life interaction near marine and hydrokinetic projects. This technology aims to provide a cost-effective and automated solution, and improve resource manager confidence that any harmful interactions between marine animals and equipment can be avoided.Â