Wednesday, December 6th, 2023 – A powerhouse of five influential figures in ocean sustainability convened for a roundtable discussion on the crucial intersection of science and business for the benefit of the ocean. Moderated by Oliver Steeds of Nekton/Ocean Census, the discussion united Tony Gilbert, The International SeaKeepers Society; Matthew Zimmerman, FarSounder; Jennifer Johnson Smith, SHADOWCAT; and Patrick Lahey, Triton Submarines.
In a landmark announcement during this pivotal gathering, The International SeaKeepers Society (SeaKeepers) proudly revealed its strategic alliance with FarSounder to propel ocean conservation, research, education, and sustainability through the DISCOVERY Yacht Program. This dynamic partnership seeks to leverage FarSounder’s cutting-edge technology and cloud-based services to generate survey data that will, in turn, bolster a groundbreaking Citizen Science program for SeaKeepers.
The heart of this collaboration lies in the creation of a state-of-the-art data display platform, where collaborative crowdsourced bathymetry and other oceanographic data collected by citizen scientists will be showcased. This revolutionary platform promises to serve as a cornerstone for ongoing global research, enabling stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to the preservation of our oceans.
Jay Wade, Chairman & President for SeaKeepers, articulated the significance of engaging the marine industry in ocean research, emphasizing its pivotal role in shaping the future of our environment:
“We look forward to building on our relationship with FarSounder through our DISCOVERY Yacht Program. Supporting marine science research and the collection of vital scientific data is at the heart of what we do, and we eagerly anticipate advancing marine science and conservation together.”
This collaboration signifies a critical step towards the convergence of technological innovation and environmental stewardship, setting a precedent for future partnerships that prioritize the sustainable future of our oceans. As the leaders in ocean sustainability unite, the world can
anticipate unprecedented advancements in marine science, propelled by the collective commitment of SeaKeepers and FarSounder.
Matthew Zimmerman, CEO of FarSounder, shares that this collaboration leverages over 20 years FarSounder’s investments in sonar mapping technology for a community benefit:
“In an effort to increase safety while exploring the world’s seas, we’ve made it easy for FarSounder customers to share the map of the seafloor that they create across the FarSounder fleet and to contribute anonymously to the IHO’s crowdsourced bathymetry initiatives/Seabed 2030. It is clear that our community contribution vision aligns directly with SeaKeepers’ goals. I’m happy that FarSounder is able to donate the use of our technologies to help further the SeaKeepers mission. The only way we will ever fully understand our oceans is if we all participate in the discovery.”
Software tooling and infrastructure that FarSounder has developed for its own fleet sharing and community bathymetric data contributions will be used to build an easy to use and simple to understand “dashboard” of the crowdsourced bathymetry data that SeaKeepers’ program participants generate.
About The International SeaKeepers Society
The International SeaKeepers Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that facilitates oceanographic research, conservation, and education through direct involvement with the yachting community. Providing educational resources and hands-on marine science experiences to students is a primary focus for ensuring the wellbeing of our planet. SeaKeepers enables the yachting community to take full advantage of their unique potential to advance marine sciences and raise awareness about global ocean issues.
Founded in Monaco in 1998, The International SeaKeepers Society has been supporting ocean conservation through direct involvement with the yachting community for twenty-five years. What started as a data collection program aboard select luxury yachts, has evolved to engage thousands of participants annually with at-sea and coastal programming. Today SeaKeepers’ mission is focused on the DISCOVERY Yacht Program which is comprised of Scientist-Led Expeditions, Citizen Science, Educational Outreach, and Community Engagement.
SeaKeepers is a catalyst working with governments, scientists, institutions, and other marine organizations to further its mission and support sensible, achievable marine protection and restoration. Activities take place globally through the efforts of headquarters based in the United States with offices located on the east and west coast, and international representation in Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the South Pacific. For more information, please visit www.seakeepers.org/.
About FarSounder
Founded in 2001, FarSounder has become a globally recognised expert in 3D FLS technology. Based in the US, the company’s dynamic technology is built on a combination of advanced acoustics and signal-processing techniques, making their products unique in their ability to
generate a true, 3-dimensional image ahead of a vessel at navigationally significant ranges at each ping of the sonar. The company has recently been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), providing funding for the research and development of a new project which will develop a cloud-based service to share survey data collected by FarSounder customers. For more information, please visit www.farsounder.com.