Marinas Guardian (MG) a new and non-governmental organisation with a primary focus on preserving and monitoring Marine Protected Areas (MPA), and ACUA Ocean, a clean technology solutions provider, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work towards efficient MPA protection together.
The threats facing our oceans are multifaceted and our solution should be too. Marinas Guardian will be working across sectors and across borders to revolutionalise how we help governments to create, monitor and protect MPAs. By using cutting edge technologies on an ocean wide expedition, we will hold education at the heart of our mission to help initiate sustainable change.
As part of the agreement, Marinas Guardian will deploy ACUA Ocean’s zero-emission hydrogen powered autonomous surface vessels to patrol and collect data in MPAs, with a focus on illegal fishing activity, recovery of ghost nets and habitat related data capture
Announcing the partnership on Day 4 of the United Nations Oceans Conference in Lisbon, ACUA CEO, Neil Tinmouth asserted, “Marinas Guardians and ACUA have a shared vision of ocean protection and regeneration through the use of innovative technology and community-based education. We welcome this opportunity to partner with such a fantastic organisation to protect our oceans for future generations.”
Marinas Guardians Founder and CEO, also a non-executive director at the much-respected Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS), Jason Peers added;
“We can play a key part in this vital work through the launch of the ‘MG Orcas’ – artificially intelligent, autonomous vessels to be used in the patrolling and surveillance of MPAs whilst simultaneously addressing the challenge of hugely destructive ‘ghost’ fishing gear. With COP28 recently announced for November 2023 in Dubai, it is time to redouble efforts here and put the ocean at the centre of the fight against climate change and the degradation of our natural environment”
Working with governments, NGO’s and businesses globally on academically driven solutions, Marinas Guardian’s will aim to help the development of more resilient communities through the protection of biodiversity within these valuable ecosystems.
MPAs are complex solutions where elements such as connectivity are key to their success, particularly for migratory species and organisms with a larval stage. Managing existing MPAs, designating new ones and their protection is a costly, time-consuming exercise. This is why MG and ACUA ocean are working towards an effective and uniform approach to help resolve this problem.
ACUA Oceans autonomous surface ships will enable distributed maritime operations and data collection, providing both a physical deterrent to illegal activities but with the ability to capture high resolution recordings, and a range of abiotic and biotic data.
The next stage of the collaboration will be the development of bespoke technologies and operational planning to develop the solutions the ACUA Ocean platform can provide to MPAs leading to a series of operational demonstrations in 2023.
 a new and non-governmental organisation with a primary focus on preserving and monitoring Marine Protected Areas (MPA), and ACUA Ocean, a clean technology solutions provider, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work towards efficient MPA protection together. The threats facing our oceans are multifaceted and our solution should be too. Marinas Guardian will be working across sectors and across borders to revolutionalise how we help governments to create, monitor and protect MPAs. By using cutting edge technologies on an ocean wide expedition, we will hold education at the heart of our mission to help initiate sustainable change. As part of the agreement, Marinas Guardian will deploy ACUA Ocean’s zero-emission hydrogen powered autonomous surface vessels to patrol and collect data in MPAs, with a focus on illegal fishing activity, recovery of ghost nets and habitat related data capture){kind=link}