Development of a Low Cost Environmental Observing Buoy for Aquaculture Site Prospecting

PI: Heather Leslie, UM Darling Marine Center

Collaborators: Damian Brady, UM School of Marine Sciences, and Joshua Girgis & Chris Davis, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center.

In light of the rapidly growing aquaculture industry in Maine, this project will address aquaculturists’ need for better water quality data. The team will develop a sensor package for a buoy that will be more practical and affordable than the expensive buoys that are commercially available today. Consultation with aquaculturists over the last five years have determined which parameters the sensor will need to be able to measure, such as water temperature and salinity. After the development of the sensor package and buoy, commercialization will be pursued.