March • 2022
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Could Robots Be the Key to Saving Our Seas? currently being done with big ships at a fraction of the cost, The oceans are full of more safely, and with a vastly information—from data that can smaller environmental footprint,” help protect at-risk species, to Angus shares. “Our robotic the most fuel-efficient routes for boats do just that, collecting ships, to measuring changes in the data necessary to protect and oceans so that scientists can better understand the oceans, which understand the effects of climate includes protecting against illegal change. However, much of the fishing, monitoring endangered ocean’s data remains unknown— whale populations, and mapping it is estimated that more than the seafloor.” 80 percent of our oceans are Through these uncrewed unmapped and unexplored. boats that are operated remotely, A lifelong adventurer and the Open Ocean Robotics is creating first woman to row across the a digital ocean and allowing Atlantic Ocean from mainland scientists to see the ocean in a to mainland, Julie Angus cotransformative way, from the founded Open Oceans Robotics seafloor to the surface and across to help explore the unexplored millions of miles. using autonomous energy— “Creating a digital ocean harvesting boats equipped with is about collecting data sensors and cameras. These autonomously through boats, produced by Open Ocean technology like our robot boat Robotics, are used to make Data Xplorer,” says Angus, who oceanic observations and instantly works with her husband Colin, relay them safely and efficiently, CTO and co-founder of Open transforming the way we explore Ocean Robotics, to produce the and understand our oceans. vessels. “Our boats can travel “My time on the ocean made the ocean for months at a time me realize that human-less boats powered only by the sun and could do many of the tasks send back the collected data by RAYE MOCIOIU
© PHOTOS COURTESY OF OPEN OCEAN ROBOTICS
satellite. We can also work with submersible drones that collect underwater data or aerial drones that take measurements from the sky. This gives us the ability to create a 3D picture of what is going on in the ocean, from the seafloor to the sky.” Conventional vessels can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $80,000 a day to operate offshore. Removing just one offshore vessel from the ocean has the same effect as reducing the emissions of 100 cars for a year. These 250-pound unsinkable boats are doing the same jobs
as the bigger boats but at a fraction of the cost and even less of a negative impact on the oceans. Not just that, but being unmanned means these boats can trek into parts of the ocean that are harder to access with a ship, sailing into the biggest seas and braving the nastiest storms. Last year, Open Ocean managed to secure funding that would help them improve the autonomous solar-powered vessel, which works to police illegal fishing in marine protected areas—a problem that costs nearly $23 billion and accounts
for 30 percent of fish. Because illegal fishing happens in remote parts of the ocean, it’s incredibly hard to police. By having something that can go out and monitor those areas, Open Ocean Robotics is making waves in combatting issues that are putting our oceans at risk. “The number one thing I want people to know about our oceans is that they are vital to our planet’s health and our economy, and if we don’t ensure their sustainability, we will all lose.” This matters to us all. It’s time we pay attention to our oceans.
Celebrities for Climate:
Stars Speak up to Raise Awareness About Climate Change Rihanna has donated $15 million to charities focused on climate justice. The singer and beauty mogul’s foundation will give grants to 18 different nonprofits across the U.S. and Caribbean. At the end of January, her organization, the Clara Lionel Foundation, announced it would be giving grants to 18 different nonprofits from the United States and seven different Caribbean nations. “At the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF), our work is rooted in the reality that climate disasters, which are growing in frequency and intensity, do not impact all communities equally,” the announcement reads. “Under-resourced countries, communities of colour, and island nations are facing the brunt. To combat this inequity, funders must build partnerships with organizations, acknowledging their deep understanding of what is necessary to achieve climate justice in their own communities.” The Grammy winner has partnered with Twitter founder Jack Dorsey through his #StartSmall philanthropic initiative, focusing on groups that address the needs of female, Black, LGBTQ+, and Indigenous people. The money will be donated to organizations such as The Caribbean Climate Justice Project, Movement for Black Lives, Indigenous
conversations as much as we have enjoyed having them.” The Lord of the Rings star also described the podcast as “a joyous extension of a longstanding friendship that all of us at Dirty Films have had with the wonderful Danny Kennedy.” The co-stars will be chatting to guests on the program, which has been commissioned for two seasons. Don’t Look Up actress Cate has been vocal about the need to fight the effects of climate change and insisted people “need to be scared.” She previously said: “Everyone is trying to be positive, talking about 1.5 degrees of global warming. But 1.5 would still be disastrous. We need to be f****** scared… and demand change; be collectively courageous enough to face that fear and do something about it.” However, despite her frustration at the situation, Cate is not surrendering “hope” as RHIANNA © BANG SHOWBIZ CATE BLANCHETT © REUTERS/BANG-SHOWBIZ she discussed the conversation Environmental Network, CATE BLANCHETT Opening up on ‘Climate of she has to have with her ANNOUNCES NEW Climate Justice Alliance, and Change with Cate Blanchett and children— Dashiell, 20, the Black Feminist Fund, CLIMATE CHANGE Danny Kennedy,’ she said in a Roman, 17, Ignatius, 13, Edith, among others. PODCAST statement: “Danny’s knowledge seven, whose father is actor “This powerful group of Cate Blanchett is launching a about and passion for climate Andrew Upton, 55— about the climate justice leaders and new podcast to raise awareness solutions is infectious, and our crisis the planet is facing. organizers from seven Caribbean about climate change. experience developing this project The star said: “I’m not giving countries and nearly all 50 with the folks at StoryHunter for up hope. As I say to my kids, The 52-year-old actress is states—relentless doers and teaming up with clean-technology Audible has been a shot in the if we’re going out, how do we innovators—are responding arm—and has gone a long way to choose to go out? It’s a terrible entrepreneur and environmental effectively and urgently to tempering our eco-anxiety. activist Danny Kennedy for the conversation to have with your climate change,” representatives Audible project, which will delve “We hope that our 13-year-old, isn’t it?” for the foundation explained. into the climate crisis. listeners enjoy hearing the —Reuters ADVERTORIAL
Researcher Finds Cool Pools to Save Salmon Schools Kate O’Neill’s Passion Drives her to Help Keep Salmon out of Hot Water
From June 25 to July 1, 2021, British Columbia baked under temperatures reaching 49.6°C. The unprecedented heat dome resulted in B.C. streams getting warmer, detrimental to cold-blooded salmon. However, one researcher found a silver lining. The extreme heat created a greater differential between ambient stream temperatures and the cooler pools within them, fed by upwelling groundwater. Researcher Kate O’Neill launched her project with two goals: first, to identify where groundwater enters streams, and second, to create a methodology for stream keepers to find cool pools so people could replicate her work. “During 2019 and 2020, the summers were not extraordinarily warm, so it was difficult to identify thermal refugia (cool pools) within streams,” says O’Neill, whose 2019 research was funded by the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) and the Pacific Institute for
KATIE O’NEILL© ALANNA DUMONCEAUX
Climate Solutions. Her master’s study in Ecological Restoration from Simon Fraser University and BCIT focussed on Vancouver Island’s Tsolum River. The heat of 2021 made these cool refuge areas more obvious—and necessary for salmon. Allan Chamberlain, Tsolum River Restoration Society (TRSS) director and volunteer, contributed to O’Neill’s research when he noticed thermal refugia while snorkelling the river
during the heat dome. The society mobilized research assistants to walk the lower Tsolum and document the cool spots, which they shared with O’Neill. “By identifying these thermal refugia, we can help protect specific areas by increasing public awareness, and really focus our efforts on climate mitigation,” says O’Neill. “This is important because as cold-blooded species, salmon are very sensitive to climate change and habitat threats,” says O’Neill.
Reverse the Declines
Help bring salmon back, stream by stream Get involved at psf.ca
“And salmon are vitally important to our ecosystem and extremely important culturally.” Despite the positive identification of cool pools, the number of salmon using them appeared to decline over the hot summer period, which may suggest fish are more prone to predation when clustered in high numbers. Locating areas of cool refuge— which can be as small as one metre by one metre—proves challenging. The work often relies on information provided by local swimmers, fisheries professionals, or people walking or snorkelling in streams. In collaboration with TRRS volunteers, O’Neill verified thermal refugia by installing a series of data loggers to confirm whether the stream is fed by groundwater. Shielded from solar warming, they provide a cool-temperature refuge for salmon within a warmer river. The data loggers—used in O’Neill’s research funded by PSF’s Community Salmon Program—are primarily financed by the Salmon Conservation Stamp,
purchased by anglers with their annual fishing license. O’Neill has continued her research after completing her master’s while working for Current Environmental Ltd. Recently, in partnership with the TRRS and supported by PSF and Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation funding, they deployed a drone from BCIT’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Hub. Using drones with infrared technology, they hope to identify anomalies in river temperatures, allowing larger areas to be studied more efficiently and effectively. Her ultimate goal is to support the identification and mapping of thermal refugia within all salmon-bearing streams in B.C. “We still don’t know where a lot of these areas are, and we continue to rely on anecdotal information and citizen science from people who care,” says O’Neill. Learn more about Pacific salmon at: psf.ca.
