Cefas SmartBuoy Celebrates 15 Years of Operation

SmartBuoy, an integrated marine data acquisition platform developed and operated by the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas, UK), is celebrating 30,000 cumulative days of deployment in its 15th year of operation.

In addition to providing essential calibration and verification of satellite acquired marine data and ecosystem models, SmartBuoy is assisting the development of new technology platforms through provision of in-situ calibration data for autonomous mobile platforms, Cefas said. The uptake of SmartBuoy data has led to nearly 50 peer reviewed scientific papers.

David Sivyer, Project Manager for Cefas’ SmartBuoy operations, said: “Combining industry sensors with in-house developed technology (including an onboard data management system (ESM data logger), water sampler, positioning beacon and satellite communications module), SmartBuoy has proven itself to be an extremely effective platform, and provides high quality data from a number of sites around the UK. Additionally, SmartBuoy has demonstrated the need for fixed monitoring sites as reference points in order to compliment autonomous mobile platforms.”

Image: Cefas