Enhancing aquaculture operations

Tritonia are working to develop a regulatory standard for hard substrates beneath fish farms using ROV based 3D photogrammetry

A comprehensive solution from Tritonia and Ocean Ecology

Tritonia Scientific provide underwater surveying through the use of remote sensing techniques (multibeam, sidescan and ROV – remotely operated vehicle – visual surveys), complemented by scientific and commercial diving capabilities. Renowned for our expertise in Providing Underwater ClarityTM, we can also produce detailed models of seabed features and submarine infrastructure using georeferenced 3D photogrammetry, based on high quality visual survey footage.

Tritonia were recently acquired by Ocean Ecology, who provide a wide range of marine surveying and consultancy services across several different industries. This has greatly increased the range of services Tritonia and Ocean Ecology can now collectively offer to the aquaculture sector, with the ability to support operations from the earliest stages of site scoping through development and permitting to compliance, environmental monitoring, and fish health and welfare.

ROV deployment: collecting visual survey data from a sea loch to create 3D photogrammetry models

ROV deployment: collecting visual survey data from a sea loch to create 3D photogrammetry models

Besides our work in aquaculture and other marine industries, Tritonia are continually working in collaboration with both academic and regulatory partners on a number of research and development projects. Underwater 3D georeferenced photogrammetry is an innovative technique with the potential to be used in seabed compliance monitoring. The unparalleled accuracy of positioning allows the same area of seabed to be surveyed and modelled repeatedly (e.g. at the same point in successive production cycles, or at different points within the same cycle). Changes to the seabed, such as an increase in effluent accumulation or decrease in epifaunal abundance diversity, can therefore be monitored and measured over time. This is likely to be of particular value in hard-substrate sites which cannot be directly sampled (i.e. using a grab). The challenge is to develop appropriate metrics to be used in compliance assessment.

Photogrammetry modelling is also an invaluable tool in assessing the condition and integrity of submarine infrastructure such as piers, pontoons, moorings and anchors.

Ocean Ecology offer a wide range of laboratory services for the aquaculture sector

Ocean Ecology offer a wide range of laboratory services for the aquaculture sector

With offices situated at Dunstaffnage near Oban, we are ideally positioned to support the diverse requirements of companies operating in the west of Scotland – although our dynamic team will happily travel to wherever their services are required, with recent aquaculture projects completed in the Outer Hebrides and Northern Isles as well as closer to home.

Come and visit us at Aquaculture UK, stand E3 this May to see how we and the wider Ocean Ecology group of companies can support your next aquaculture project.

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