The Ocean Aero Triton (Credit: Ocean Aero)

The Ocean Aero Triton (Credit: Ocean Aero)

University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory, Ocean Aero and partners have been awarded $1m for a project to enable offshore harmful algal bloom sampling using the autonomous surface vehicle Triton. Increased opportunities for offshore HAB sampling will contribute to the Pacific Northwest HAB Bulletin and significantly enhance our ability to detect, forecast, and monitor HABs developing off shore. The Triton is designed to handle rough seas that can limit crewed vessel sampling and also only requires minimal personnel to deploy and recover from shore. Solar and wind powered, the ASV can travel farther and/or longer without requiring additional onboard fuel. This augmented sampling capability will offer more opportunities for early detection—before offshore HABs and toxins reach inshore areas where there is increased risk to human health and fisheries. All of this would contribute significantly to reducing the risk and economic impacts of HABs in the Pacific Northwest. Processing will be completed within ~24-30 hours of the first sample being collected, with results transferred to an online data display to be developed by the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems on the HABs website. The design and fabrication of the ASV's water sampling system in the first year will build on a successful IOOS-funded pilot deployment and preliminary engineering work in 2018 (an earlier version of the Triton was called Submaran), which you can read more about here. NANOOS is the U.S. IOOS-funded regional association for the Pacific Northwest. Year 1: $324,775 Year 2: $314,420 Year 3: $364,380 All Years: $1,003,575 Partners: Applied Physics Laboratory/UW, Ocean Aero, UW Olympic Natural Resources Center (ONRC), NANOOS, Oregon State University/Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies (CIMRS), NOAA Through the ONRC-managed Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) Partnership: Makah Tribe, Quileute Tribe, Quinault Tribe, Hoh Tribe, Washington Department of Health, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, UW School of Oceanography, NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Through CIMRS: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.