November 13, 2024

Marble Imaging partners with ESA to develop Earth observation solutions for aquaculture

Marble Imaging has signed a six-month contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) Space Solutions as part of an ESA Kick-start project, aiming to develop Earth Observation (EO) solutions tailored for the aquaculture sector.

The project, named "AquaMap," will leverage advanced EO products and technologies to analyse environmental parameters and assess the suitability of coastal habitats for aquaculture farming and operations. The focus of "AquaMap" is to test the feasibility of an EO-based "Aquaculture Suitability Index" to identify optimal locations for aquaculture farms.

The feasibility study integrates existing EO datasets for analysing aquaculture site suitability, with the goal of enhancing food security and providing actionable insights to stakeholders. It also aims to promote sustainable practices and improve operational efficiency in the aquaculture industry. By using EO data, the study seeks to demonstrate its value in selecting aquaculture environments, supporting certification standards, and offering significant advantages in accuracy and timeliness over traditional methods.

Marble Imaging aspires to become a leading provider of EO-based solutions for the Blue Economy. The company's objectives include improving certification processes, monitoring water quality and river runoff, detecting land cover changes and deforestation, enhancing industrial workflows, issuing early warnings for hazards and diseases, and providing rapid decision-making information to address climate change impacts.

Speaking about the project, Dr Gopika Suresh, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Marble Imaging, highlighted the urgency for sustainable aquaculture farming in the face of declining fish resources.

"Fish products from the ocean are under threat, and sustainable aquaculture farming is the need of the hour," Dr Suresh stated. "Aquaculture operators require accurate information on habitat suitability and potential risk factors to ensure sustainable and profitable operations. Traditional methods for these tasks are often time-consuming, costly, and lack the necessary precision to address emerging issues effectively."

-      Spacewatch Global