Fishermen face challenges in understanding how environmental factors impact their catch. Collecting ocean data such as temperature, depth, and salinity helps optimise fishing strategies, conserve resources, and support sustainable practices. Tools like SeaSensor (formerly known as Enki) make this process efficient, empowering fishers to make data-driven decisions.
SafetyNet Technologies and Heriot Watt University (HWU) are collaborating on the ‘Fishing for Data’ project, funded by Cisco Systems. The project aims to create underwater weather reports, to help fishermen better understand the underwater environment and how it affects their catch.
The Orkney Fisheries Association (OFA) and the Orkney-based fishing vessels FV Alison Marine and FV Queline are also participating in this project.
The 'Fishing for Data' Project
Inshore fisheries often lack sufficient environmental data due to limited funding. However, this data is crucial when it comes to stock assessments and understanding how marine environments impact fish stocks.
To address this gap, CatchCam Technologies developed SeaSensor, a durable sensor that easily attaches to fishing gear and automatically collects ocean data on temperature, salinity, depth, and turbidity during every fishing trip.
Through the ‘Fishing for Data’ project, two Orkney-based creel boats have deployed SeaSensor. The aim of this trial is to test the sensor system and gather ocean data which will be later analysed by HWU. Starting in August 2022, The FV Alison Marie and FV Queline will be deploying SeaSensor in their creels for a period of three months, to enhance understanding of their local fishery.
The OFA are a trade body representing the interest of Orkney’s fishing fleet. Part of their mission is to work with fishermen, scientists and other organisations to improve knowledge of Orkney’s marine environment and the species within it. They have also facilitated the relationship between the two fishing vessels and other partners in the Fishing for Data project.
Why Should Fishermen Collect Ocean Data?
Make Better-Informed Decisions
Collecting environmental data helps fishermen identify optimal fishing locations. Sean, skipper of FV Queline, shared: “I want to understand how environmental parameters affect my catch and exactly what ranges each species thrives in”. He explained how his catch around Orkney varies a lot during summer when the water is warmer and crabs moult their old shells.
Sean estimates that during this time, he returns up to 90% of his catch to the sea. However, there are pockets around the islands that maintain high levels of catch where the crabs haven’t yet moulted. Using SeaSensor, he aims to understand how temperature affects catch levels, allowing him to avoid unproductive areas.
By using tools like SeaSensor, fishermen can save time, fuel, and effort while improving fishing efficiency.
Support Fishermen's Knowledge in a Changing Ocean
Climate change is rapidly altering marine ecosystems. Its effect is especially obvious in the shifting migration patterns of commercially important species. The northward movement of North Sea Cod is one of the most documented changes. As is the case for key species like the Brown Crab.
Orkney fishermen report delayed migrations linked to rising temperatures but lack the data to verify these changes. SeaSensor’s data collection empowers fishermen and scientists to track environmental shifts and adapt practices, ensuring resilience in a changing sea.
The ‘Fishing for Data’ project aims to measure the environmental factors affecting the movement and distribution of shellfish in Orkney. As a result, data will support fishermen’s intuitive knowledge of their fishery.
Enhance Stock Assessments
Fishermen have the potential to collect data on never-before-seen scales. Their fishing vessels are at sea almost every day, offering a unique opportunity for widespread data collection.
Species like Brown Crab, Velvet Crab, and European Lobster in Orkney are important species for the fishing industry. However, there has been no government-led stock assessment in the last four years. This is because shellfish and inshore catch are not quota species. Instead, the drive for fisheries data is coming from the fishermen themselves.
What data does SeaSensor collect?
SeaSensor collects key environmental data on: temperature, depth, turbidity, light intensity, immersion, and motion. These parameters form an “underwater weather report,” crucial for understanding ocean characteristics and fish distributions.
It’s a robust, high-performance underwater sensor designed for accurate monitoring in the harshest marine environments. So, it automatically collects this data when attached to fishing gear.
With Bluetooth connectivity, data can be accessed quickly once the device is back on deck. This allows users to quickly see the data for instant feedback. For more in-depth analysis, the data can be downloaded as a .csv file for later processing.
Data on temperature, salinity, depth, turbidity strengthens fisheries models, enabling better stock assessments and future-proofing fisheries management.
To access the latest details about SeaSensor, visit the product page or contact the team directly to request the most up-to-date datasheet. This ensures you receive the most accurate and comprehensive information about its capabilities and applications.
