Called the Ocean Aware project, it has been launched by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announced, alongside project partners including Innovasea.
With a total project value of $29 million, the Ocean Supercluster will provide $13.74 million in funding for the project, with $15.7 million in funding coming from industry partners. Ocean Aware is led by Innovasea together with Emera, Nova Scotia Power, Ocean Choice International, Irving Shipbuilding, Dartmouth Ocean Technologies, Xeos Technologies, and with the support of the Ocean Tracking Network, Dalhousie University, Fisheries Marine Institute of Memorial University, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and others.
Ocean Aware represents the first-of-its-kind collaboration across ocean sectors in fisheries, aquaculture, energy, shipping and ocean technology.
The project team will develop aquaculture technology to monitor fish health; new approaches to stock assessment modelling and predictive fishing in the wild fishery, and; innovative and increased capability to monitor marine life around fixed subsea structures. It aims to enable ocean growth that is sustainable, as well as disrupt competition on a global scale, position Canada as a leader, and help grow the economy and create new jobs.
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster brings an innovative model for growth that reduces risk for Canadian companies, and aims to increase collaboration and improve data exchange across ocean sectors, creating a platform for the development for commercial, sustainable ocean solutions.
“As the country with the longest coastline, the Ocean Supercluster is helping Canada capitalize on our natural advantages, establishing itself as a hotbed for innovation and collaboration. The Ocean Aware project is a great example of the supercluster’s ability to bring together a variety of industry partners to develop new aquaculture technology and further support sustainable fishing practices,” said Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“This is a big day for Canada, and Innovasea is proud to be leading this consortium in tackling this important challenge. When this project is complete, we will have given three key maritime industries the technology, tools, understanding and insight they need to operate in a more ecologically sustainable manner. Ultimately, the impact of the Ocean Aware project is going to be felt far beyond Canada and the Atlantic provinces; it will serve as a blueprint for the rest of the world,” said Mark Jollymore, president of Innovasea
