Riding the Waves: How Scientists Hitch a Ride to Map the Ocean
Instead of relying on costly research vessels, scientists are partnering with cargo ships, fishing boats, yachts, and cruise liners to gather vital ocean data. This low-cost “hitchhiker” approach helps fill big gaps in knowledge, especially in remote and under-studied seas.
Moana Project: Fishers Helping Scientists Track Ocean Change
New Zealand’s Moana Project teams up with commercial fishers to deploy sensors on fishing gear, tracking subsurface temperature and currents. This helps fill data gaps, forecasts marine heatwaves, and supports resilient seafood communities guided by Māori knowledge.
Fishers + Sensors: Powering Coastal Climate Data in NZ
New Zealand’s Moana Project is equipping commercial fishing vessels with Mangōpare sensors to gather subsurface temperature data near the coast. The info helps close data gaps, improve forecasts, and better prepare fisheries & aquaculture for marine heatwaves.
Boaties in the Sounds: Citizen Sensors Against Marine Heatwaves
In New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds, local boaties are mounting sensors on their vessels to help monitor marine heatwaves — a grassroots push to gather data in coastal waters often skipped by big research ships.