Citizen Science

Instrument Deployments

The International SeaKeepers Society works with a number of institutions, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and Argo to make ongoing oceanographic measurements. The collection of consistent and accurate data is extremely important for oil spill and marine debris accumulation analyses, weather and hurricane prediction models, quality control tests on satellites, and an overall better understanding of the marine environment. It is vital that the global instrument arrays are well distributed; private vessels can achieve this along routes that are not typically traveled. Currently, The International SeaKeepers Society employs the use of two types of devices — SeaKeepers Drifters and Argo Floats. These instruments have been designed to be scientifically productive and efficient while minimally invasive to the environment.

SeaKeepers has also partnered with Florida International University’s Global FinPrint, a Paul G. Allen initiative, which is conducting the first global survey of shark and ray populations with the use of baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys. SeaKeepers vessels can support the effort by deploying the BRUV rigs at coral reef locations around the world. Each rig is minimally invasive and includes an underwater camera and attached bait box. Marine organisms are attracted to the bait and are then filmed. Researchers review the footage to obtain important information about the populations of these globally threatened species, in order to drive shark and ray conservation through research and policy. Areas of particular interest include the Dry Tortugas, Indonesia, and French Polynesia.

Key of Sea
March 2018 – Atlantic Ocean
25°45.21’ N, 76°59.77’ W

Katharine
November 2017-Canary Islands

Exuma
June 2017 – Mediterranean Sea
38°31.49 N, 20°09.34 E

Luzerne
July 2017 – Indian Ocean
2 °32.865’ N, 104°31.731’ E

Lady Olivia
June 2017 – Indian Ocean
Global FinPrint BRUV Deployment

Exuma
May 2017 – Mediterranean Sea
39o25.24′ N, 14o37.80′ E

World Odyssey
Semester at Sea
March – April 2017
Off the coast of South Africa

Silver Cloud
September 2016 – East Coast

Forget About IT
August 2016- Gulfstream

Silver Cloud
August 2016 – North Atlantic

FugiTive
uly 2016 – Caribbean

FugiTive
June 2016 – Gulf Stream

Evviva
December 2015 – Equatorial Pacific

P2
December 2015 – Florida Straits

Morning Glory
November 2015 – Leventine Sea

Meduse
November 2015 – Equatorial Pacific

Amevi
November 2015 – Mediterranean Sea

Alegria
October 2015 – Mediterranean Sea

Penny Mae
August 2015 – Gulf Stream

Lady Kathryn R
May 2015 – Azores

Fugitive
May 2015 – Gulf Stream

Octopus
April 2015 – Arabian Sea

Noble House
January 2015 – French Polynesia

Explorer
November 2014 – Atlantic Ocean

Meduse
August 2014 – Tonga

Fugitive
June 2014 – Puerto Rico

Fugitive
May 2014 – Gulf Stream

Defiance
January 2014 – Bimini, Bahamas

Valkyrie
December 2013 – Channel Islands, California

Use the arrows to scroll through our latest programs