New Wave Media

 

At the core of the long-term environmental monitoring and surveillance of the Pacific’s most diverse and endangered underwater ecosystems will be Liquid Robotics’ Wave Glider, an autonomous surface ocean robot that will be used to help address long-term monitoring and scientific data collection gaps that are not economically feasible with traditional research assets.

 

Allen Tom, Regional Director, Office of NMS Pacific Islands Regional Director, said, “Utilizing the latest technology in marine sciences helps us protect some of the older marine ecosystems in the world — a truly groundbreaking opportunity for ONMS and Liquid Robotics.”

 

Liquid Robotics said the use of autonomous systems and services to augment NOAA’s ONMS current resources will enhance their ability to assess and evaluate the increasing threats posed by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU); water quality and marine debris; coral reef damage and bleaching; and climate change.

 

“Over the past decade, we’ve partnered with NOAA scientists on projects ranging from ocean acidification, to measuring Arctic waves to collecting storm intensity data from the surface of the hurricane,” said Gary Gysin, President and CEO of Liquid Robotics. “This collaboration takes our partnership to a new level as we provide Wave Glider technology and services to help preserve, protect and sustain the Hawaiian and American Samoa marine sanctuaries and ocean we all hold dear.”

 

This partnership provides services to the National Marine Sanctuary System’s six sanctuary units, as well as NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS), The State of Hawaii and the Territory of American Samoa, The Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HHWNMS), National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (NMSAS), Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) and remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.