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Reefs are the beating heart of many marine ecosystems. They provide shelter and food for a myriad of underwater creatures.
Unfortunately, however, natural reefs are dying and marine life is dying with them. Fortunately , a new project off the coast of Cyprus is testing the efficacy of artificial reefs made of cement to restore life to the ocean, and deploying a fleet of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to both protect them and provide data, reported AP News.
A Habitat for Marine Life
Artificial reefs, according to Surfer, are not a new concept. When they are properly installed and placed, they can attract marine life and break up waves.
That is why the multinational project called EONIOS is so important. EONIOS is a test-run of a project that will install a 3-d printed cement artificial reef deep into the Ayia Napa Marina, along with a swarm of AUVs.
This is important because a lack of marine life is especially a problem for Cyprus, as Zakarias Siokouros, the CEO of the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute told AP, “the reefs attract everything from vegetation to large fish and for waters off Cyprus where there isn’t enough food for fish, we aim to create the appropriate environment to bring such fish there.”
The Benefits of Using AUVs
But why AUVs? According to AP, AUVs can remain submerged under water for as long as a month and provide non-stop data to both scientists and the authorities charged with protecting the reef. The French company Arkeocean’s AUVs that are being used in this project can carry 11 pounds of sensors and other types of equipment. Their battery-powered thrusters make them stealthy and almost undetectable. In addition, they can use water currents to maneuver, extending battery life.
The underwater drones will be hooked up to rechargeable docking stations built into the reef and will monitor water conditions, temperatures, and other changes to the marine environment, explained Surfer. They will also be able to alert scientists to any dangers to the reefs such as boats or illegal fishing.
Arkeocean official Tamara Brizard told AP the devices could also “be used to detect seismic activity for offshore oil and gas exploration as well as finding suitable areas on which to build offshore wind and solar farms.”
Reinvigorating the waters around Cyprus will not only be beneficial to the Cypriot fishing industry, it will also benefit the ocean, and the world as a whole. Using this new technology is a big plus in helping our ocean environments.
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