Enabling autonomous technologies for aquaculture in challenging environments

Aquaculture will increasingly require both routine and event-driven environmental monitoring. Autonomous systems will play an enabling role in these operations, fundamentally improving sustainability at existing sites and the assessment of new sites. The move to complex offshore environments envisaged by the CRC will benefit directly from improved methodologies for advancing remote/autonomous systems.

In this project, we propose to develop new methodologies utilising autonomous sensor networks and platforms to enhance the management of three existing oyster farming sites on the East Coast of Tasmania – Georges Bay, Great Oyster Bay and Great Bay – that are each facing unique environmental issues impacting productivity. The outcomes of this project will provide a robust foundation for examining the potential of new inshore aquaculture sites and the next level of challenges when production is moved offshore.

This project has been developed in accordance with the findings of Scoping Studies 1.20.002 (‘Autonomous marine systems at offshore aquaculture and energy sites’) and 4.20.002 (‘Operational modelling for offshore aquaculture & energy’).