http://www.catchtalk.tv/events/agro-mechanics2014/videos/managing-partner-blueleg-monitor

1. MARCO PIETERSE
MANAGING PARTNER
BLUELEG MONITOR

2. GFIA
Abu Dhabi, February 2014
Combined Satellite & Ground Level Monitoring of Aquaculture Crops

3. BlueLeg Monitor BV in short
•JV between Water Insight Founders and the Bluetech Diamond Fund
•Started October 2012, exclusive license on Water Insight products
•Water Insight established in 2005 by Dr. Peters and Dr.Laanen,
•Spin off of Free University Amsterdam: long and deep experience in water remote sensing
•“Bridging the gap”: scientific development ↔ operational application of water remote sensing
•10 full time staff, remote sensing experts
•Ambition to grow to an international market leader in optical water quality monitoring services for aquaculture
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4. Client list
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5. Contents of the presentation
•Scope of the algae bloom risk problem
•Consequences
•Satellite and on the ground monitoring technology
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6. Scope of the algal bloom problem
•Need for professional and constant risk monitoring to track, understand and forecast occurrence
•Need for early warning system to apply remediation options
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Increasing eutrophication in water Global climate change Ship ballast water transports algae worldwide
Higher probability of Hazardous Algal Blooms
New hazardous species
Larger fish farms at non-traditional locations
Larger financial consequences of blooms

7. Where are HABs occurring?
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•Close to eutrophication sources
•Close to the coast
•Sometimes at higher temperature locations
•vicinity of aquaculture operations? (feed / excretion)
•Deep nutrient rich water upwelling (e.g. West of South Africa)

8. Some cases in damage in aquaculture by HABs
Location
Year
amount
Chile
2009
25 million US$
USA, North Puget Sound
2007
2 million US$
South Korea
1995
95 million US$
Portugal
2012
NA yet
Guangdong/Hong Kong
1998
40 million US$
(Tang, 2003)
US total on average
Per year
40 million US$ /year
(Hudnell, 2008)
South China sea
8 million US$ / year
(Qi , 2001)
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9. Basic elements of conventional HAB monitoring
•Environmental observation (on the spot water sampling)
•Temperature monitoring, wind speed and direction, light attenuation (turbidity)
•Sampling of water, shellfish or fish
•Analysis of the samples: identification of algae, quantification
•Evaluation of results and action plans / mitigation measures
Disadvantages:
•Slow : can takes few days (algae counting and identification)
•Covers only direct vicinity of the sampling location
•inaccurate, calibration difficulties, bio-fouling (fluorimeter)
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10. Satellite data
•Rich source of information on water
•Extracted by algorithms, that “calculate” information from satellite data
•Application of biological, physical, mathematical, ICT and remote sensing know how
•Dependent on satellite passage frequency and whether or not operating
•Cloud cover can obstruct measurements
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11. Reporting on Chlorophyll for the largest Dutch Mussels farm
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12. Strong points of optical measurements
•No water contact
•From any platform (hand, buoy, boat, airplane, satellite, ISS) and inter-changeable
•Measurements : digital physical quantity (never looses value)
•Information translated into relevant indicators
•Large archives of historic satellite data available
•Techniques for interpretation well understood
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13. The WISP measures in real time, with instant display:
•chlorophyll-a
•several species of algae Phaeocystis, Karenia micimotoii, cyanobacteria, some dinoflagellates/red tides, any species that causes a specific discoloration
•CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter),
•water transparency (Secchi) and
•total suspended matter
Consecutive processing via WISP-web into tailor made reports,
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14. BlueLeg Monitor integrated risk monitoring products
1.BlueRisc Monitor©: Regional historical analysis of water quality (2003-2012)
2.Continuous satellite monitoring and reporting
3.Real time handheld WISP monitoring on the site by fish farm management
4.Integrated reporting on HAB development and forecasts
5.24/7 helpline for analytical assistance
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15. The BlueRisc Monitor©: HAB historical risk analysis
•Based on over 10 years of stored satellite
based water quality monitoring data
•Proprietary algorithms for calculation of information from data
•Chlorophyll registration as a proxy for HAB risk
•Global coverage, any place at sea
•Application possibilities:
–Risk evaluation, insurance acceptance, premium determination
–Aquaculture farm risk management and remedy preparation
–Aquaculture investment planning
–Regional planning for aquaculture activities by governments
–Forensic (in loss adjustment)
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16. Dynamic processes that we can measure over time
•eutrophication
•transparency changes
•onset and duration of blooms
•nearness of blooms
•(changes in) background concentrations of algae, typical periods of blooms, typical periods with high or low transparency
•direction of movement of blooms
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17. WISP- web: automated report generation and benchmarking
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19. Some remediation options in case of early HAB warning
•Increasing dissolved oxygen by aeration using pumps or motorboats, bottled or compressed oxygen;
•Towing cages away from HABs;
•Using tarps (perimeter skirts)to create a barrier between fish pens and the HABs.
•Treatment with low concentration chemical substances (being tested currently)
Reduce insurance costs/risks by monitoring and standard early warning
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Clay dispersal in Yokjido, Korea to control Cochlodinium bloom in 2008

20. BlueLeg Monitor Information products
•Daily/weekly bulletins
•Reports / maps / atlasses
•Movies with HAB development in time
•Probabilities per location (based on appr. 10 years of satellite data) + 20 years of currently foreseen satellite systems
•Support and instrumentation for in-situ inspection
•Forensic services & consultancy
Scalable architecture systems for data archiving, processing and interpretation
Any worldwide location / time period between 2003 and 2011
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21. Why work with BlueLeg Monitor
•Firmly research based 20+ years of experience
•Methods validated and approved by the Dutch government
•Information products tailored to aquaculture requirements
•Development and testing of products in e.g. FP7 projects with many international partners
•Strong links with the Institute for Environmental Studies (Free University Amsterdam) quality control, risk assessment and insurance applications
•Experience in many different water types and locations (inland waters, coastal waters and open sea).
•Established customers
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