Irish scientists deploy AI on the south coast to understand climate change
Ireland From The Cutting Coast (setu) South Of Adapt East Edge Using Working To University Respond Change Technological Help To Them South And Climate With Researchers Are Along Technologies Farmers Shellfish
Scientists and shellfish farmers are using artificial intelligence (AI) along Ireland's south coast in a bid to better understand climate change and its impact on coastal areas and marine life.
Sensors have been placed in Bannow Bay in Wexford and Dungarvan in Waterford in a collaboration between Ireland and Wales involving South East Technological University (SETU), Munster Technological University (MTU), and Swansea University.
While the sensors will help better understand growing conditions and track water quality in a bid to in improve oyster and mussel quality and growth, they will also gauge the likes of temperature, salinity, and nutrient levels in the marine environment, SETU said.
This information is critical for aquaculture operators, scientists, and policymakers to gain a better understanding of potential threats and implement effective management and conservation strategies in the face of climate change, the university added.
The sensors are part of the STREAM (Sensor Technologies for Remote Aquatic Environmental Monitoring) project, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Ireland Wales Cooperation programme with €4.3m over five years.
CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB
Another aim of the STREAM project is to develop custom toolkits to help coastal communities, fishers, and aquaculture businesses adapt to climate change, SETU said.
STREAM principal investigator, Dr Joseph O’Mahony, described the project as "a valuable contribution to understanding climate change and its impacts on the marine environment".
He added: "The project's data and tools will be essential for protecting coastal communities and developing strategies to adapt to climate change.”
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), "demand for blue foods — food from aquatic sources — is expected to double by 2050". Aquaculture will play a key role in boosting supplies of nutritious and healthy food for billions of consumers around the world, it says.
Ireland's Marine Institute says that if sea water is too acidic, it can make it difficult for marine organisms such as coral, oysters and mussels to form shells and skeletons. The impacts of ocean acidification and warming could also extend up the food chain, affecting fisheries and aquaculture, threatening food security for millions of people, it adds.
A University of California Santa Barbara study in June found that more than 90% of global aquaculture faces substantial risk from environmental change. The study emphasises the urgency of addressing the underdeveloped state of adaptation strategies for blue food systems grappling with environmental changes, co-lead author Rebecca Short of the Stockholm Resilience Centre said.