January 4, 2024

Australia launches water quality monitoring system in Spencer Gulf

AquaWatch Australia Mission is a new project to revolutionise water quality monitoring and forecasts, offering nearly real-time insights to enhance seafood production and aquaculture management in south Australia's Spencer Gulf, Seafood Source reported.

The project aims to leverage data from water sensors and satellites, integrating computer models and artificial intelligence to provide comprehensive information for the gulf, a vital region for seafood production.

The Spencer Gulf supplies a significant portion of the country's seafood. The AquaWatch Australia project, led by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, seeks to empower local seafood farms with advanced technology. With successful initial testing, AquaWatch Australia has commenced data collection to enable the aquaculture industry in the region to predict and manage harmful marine events, such as algal blooms.

According to CSIRO senior scientist Nagur Cherukuru, the Spencer Gulf's importance in providing seafood, with an annual production value exceeding AUD 238 million (US$161 million), underscores the significance of adopting AquaWatch. The technology promises to facilitate water quality monitoring and forecasting, supporting the industry's sustainability and growth.

The collaborative effort in testing AquaWatch Australia in the Spencer Gulf involved CSIRO, SmartSat CRC, and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Given the substantial growth of aquaculture in the region, this partnership was essential to implementing scalable water quality monitoring, ensuring ecologically sustainable development, as noted by SARDI Oceanographer Mark Doubell.

Real-time data delivery and enhanced satellite observations on water quality are seen as invaluable by the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association (ASBTIA). ASBTIA Research Scientist Kirsten Rough highlighted the potential benefits for aquaculture in the Spencer Gulf, emphasising the importance of proactive monitoring for conditions like algal blooms that could pose risks to the industry.

In the next phase, CSIRO aims to collaborate with Traditional Custodians and industry partners to co-design and extend water quality monitoring in the Spencer Gulf.

-      SeafoodSource