Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) has recently deployed its FAST-3 monitoring platform at the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada.
FAST-3 platform is part of the Fundy Advanced Sensor Technology (FAST) Program created to advance efforts to monitor and characterize the FORCE site. Results from the current FAST-3 deployment will help FORCE identify the best sensor settings and operating schedule for future data collection at the FORCE demonstration site.
The platform was designed and built with the participation of CulOcean Consulting, Kongsberg Maritime Canada, Earle MacAloney Excavation, and Velocity Machining & Welding, among other contributors. It was deployed on February 2, 2017.
FAST-3 includes a suite of sensors to gather data on fish presence and behavior, including an acoustic zooplankton and fish profiler and an autonomous scientific echo sounder.
The entire FAST program includes subsea data collection, subsea data cable installation, shore-based radar and meteorological equipment, as well as platform fabrication, instrumentation, and deployment, according to FORCE.
FAST is supported by Encana Corporation, Natural Resources Canada, and FORCE developers.