Universities and Environmentalists Get Help from Underwater Cameras

News Release JW Fishers Manufacturing Inc. July 6, 2012

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<DIV> More universities and environmental
groups are using underwater video systems to assist in their research and
monitoring operations. These cameras can be very useful tools in studying
benthic habitats and marine organisms, and to monitor the impact of pollution on
the environment. 
  
Darling
Marine
Center is
the marine laboratory at the University of
Maine.
Home to world renown research and education, the facility is situated on the
shores of the Gulf of
Maine
with its diverse intertidal habitats. Jennifer McHenry, a graduate student at
the university’s School of Marine Science, is studying to become part of the new
breed of marine scientists that will be tackling problems of how to 
maintain the health and productivity of our oceans and waterways. This
group will need to utilize all the high tech tools at their disposal if they are
to be successful. One tool the university has acquired to assist these efforts
is a remote operated vehicle (ROV). As part of her program McHenry researched
the various types of ROVs available, their cost, and capabilities. After
gathering information on several different models and presenting it to her
professors, the group decided on JW Fishers SeaLion-2 with its four high
performance thrusters, 1,000 foot depth rating, and two color cameras that pan
and tilt.  Ms. McHenry came to Fishers factory to pick up the
ROV and receive training on operation and maintenance of the system. Armed with
this new equipment, she and her fellow students are now doing more “in depth”
research and obtaining a better understanding of the ocean
environment.
  
Another school using the ROV is the University of
Alaska
Fairbanks
(UAF).  Their Institute of
Marine
Science is
the oldest and largest unit of the School of
Fisheries and
Ocean Science. Much of their research focuses on arctic and Pacific subarctic
waters, and their studies cover a wide range of disciplines with many national
and international cooperative programs. UAF selected Fishers SeaOtter-2 to
assist in their work as this ROV best fit their needs and the
budget.  They also added the optional scanning sonar which
allows the ROV operator to “see” what’s on the bottom in a 250 foot circle
around the vehicle, regardless of water clarity. Terry Whitledge, one of the
marine scientists responsible for the equipment, reports the ROV helps with the
inspection and recovery of current meter moorings and in the exploration and
study of shallow water sediments. 
  
At NOAA’s Great
Lakes
Environmental Research Lab (GLERL) scientists are working to establish an
ecological forecasting model for the Great
Lakes.
This effort involves predicting the effects of biological, chemical, physical,
and human induced  changes on the ecosystem and its
components. Their work encompasses a broad scope of factors including the impact
of invasive species, affects of weather and climate change, and the links
between physical, environmental, and biological processes. To aid in gathering
data in the underwater environment, GLERL is using JW Fishers MC-1 mini camera.
The 2 inch diameter, 8 inch long video system is equipped with high intensity
LED light ring and can be lowered to the bottom, mounted on a helmet, or carried
by a diver. The camera sends live video to the surface for viewing and
recording. This inexpensive video system allows researchers to capture the
interaction between species and their environment, and bring it back to the lab
for further study.
  
The tiny middle east country of Kuwait is
wedged between neighboring giants Iraq and
Saudi
Arabia,
and is bordered by the Persian
Gulf.
The desert kingdom is small only by geographic standards as it has the world’s
5th largest oil reserves and is the 11th richest country. It is also home to the
world-class Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. Part of the institute’s
mission is to advise the government on scientific matters and policy issues. One
of their main objectives is to identify the country’s natural resources, and
determine the best ways to utilize them. With almost 500 km of coastline along
the gulf, Kuwait has
significant aquatic resources to protect and explore. The work is made easier
with the use of Fishers DV-1 drop video. This underwater camera system can be
lowered to depths up to 1,000 feet and is equipped with a PAL format color
camera and four 100 watt lights. An On Screen Display system allows position
coordinates to be displayed on the monitor and recorded with the video picture.
With the DV-1 scientists can create a video record of the underwater environment
and use it as a baseline for future studies.
  
In the US
Virgin
Islands the
National Park Service is very concerned about the impact of overfishing,
encroachment of nonnative marine species, and sediment runoff. In a field
station headquartered at the Biosphere Reserve on St.
John, a
group is investigating changes in the marine ecosystem and its causes. The
research is a cooperative effort between the Parks Service, Jacksonville
University in Florida and the Oceanic Institute in Hawaii.
One of the tools being employed is Fishers TOV-1 towed video system. The torpedo
shaped housing has a high resolution video camera mounted behind an acrylic dome
and uses the power of the boat to move it through the water. The towed camera
lets researchers conduct large scale video surveys in relatively short
time.
  
For more information on JW Fishers complete line of underwater search
equipment go to <A
href="redir.aspx?C=597da60751784553a58bf6e1ee4e9fd0&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.jwfishers.com%2f"
target=_blank>www.jwfishers.com</A>.</DIV></BODY></HTML>