Kamakiri

The health of our oceans and the critical, life sustaining functions they provide are under threat from climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Whilst our ocean observation capability has increased dramatically over the past decade, UNESCO’s State of the Ocean Report 2024 (StOR) advises that our ‘… quantitative description of the ocean is drastically incomplete and, as a result, current knowledge is insufficient to effectively inform solutions to the multiple ocean crises that humanity is now facing.’ The yawning gap between the data we currently collect and the data we need exists in both the spatial and temporal domain. Filling this gap requires an order of magnitude increase in our ocean observation capability and the use of a wide variety of technologies including, satellites, surface and sub-surface vessels and data buoys. Tope’s ‘Kamakiri’ project will develop a low-cost, rapidly deployable ocean data buoy, building on an existing pre-commercial Mk1 prototype that provides an end-to-end demonstration of the technology from sensor to web-based user interface. The buoy makes use of on-board ‘edge-processing’ to maximise energy and data bandwidth efficiency and provide pre-processed, actionable insights to the end user alongside raw data where required. The Kamakiri buoy will initially be deployed and proven in shellfish aquaculture applications, but will in the longer term, also be developed for the needs of fin fish and seaweed aquaculture sectors, nearshore water quality monitoring and other data demands in the nearshore and coastal environment. The rapidly growing aquaculture sector provides huge opportunities to deliver sustainable, low-carbon sources of protein for human food along with a whole host of high value products for use in a wide variety of applications from bio stimulants and food additives to pharmaceuticals and sustainable alternatives to plastics. The Kamakiri project aims to work alongside the aquaculture sector to support and enhance its growth and productivity. The Kamakiri system will process an array of surface and sub-surface water quality, metocean and video data to provide end-users with actionable insights and alerts such as when to harvest, occurrence of storm damage, harmful algal bloom events and more. Tope will build relationships with researchers and commercial operators to ensure that the system uses the latest, proven techniques and delivers real-world value. The South West of the UK is an ideal location to develop this technology, drawing on expertise from the universities of Plymouth and Exeter; a small, but growing aquaculture community and a keen public interest in the health of our coastal environment.