Optimising marine image capture and analysis from autonomous underwater vehicles (MICA)

目前，苏格兰的鲑鱼养殖场包括从南部的费恩湖到北部的设得兰群岛的近230个养殖场。该行业寻求扩张，到2030年经济价值翻一番。鲑鱼养殖场的碎屑（有机物质）分散在鱼笼周围，其程度取决于接收环境（深度，当地洋流等），这些物质对海床的影响各不相同。苏格兰监管机构（SEPA）和他们的顾问（mica合作伙伴，NatureScot）被要求确保该行业的可持续性，并且接收环境不会受到超出当地规模的不利影响。特别值得关注的是优先海洋特征，即被认为高度敏感、稀有和/或提供关键生态系统功能的个别分类群/生物群落。PMFs的例子从Swiftia sp珊瑚个体到敏感的生物礁，如贻贝床和maerl。该部门（行业和监管机构）需要非破坏性的、适合规模的方法来识别和绘制pmf。该学生最初将专注于开发创新的、机器辅助的方法来绘制蓝贻贝和马贻贝珊瑚礁的位置，这两者都是SAMS当地的（https://marinescotland.atkinsgeospatial.com/nmpi/）（例如，Levan湖和crean湖）。如果调查资源/合作伙伴的投入允许，我们的调查将扩展到大型企业。

salmon farming, in Scotland, currently encompasses >230 sites, from Loch Fyne in the south to Shetland in the North. The industry seeks to expand, doubling economic value by 2030. The detritus from salmon farms (organic matter) is dispersed around the fish-cages to an extent that is determined by the receiving environment (depth, local current regime etc) and this material variously impacts the seabed. The Scottish regulator (SEPA) and their advisors (MICA-partners, NatureScot) are required to ensure sustainability of the sector and that the receiving environment is not adversely affected beyond local scales. Of particular concern are priority marine features (PMFs) which are individual taxa/biotopes considered to be highly sensitive, rare and/or which provide critical ecosystem functions. Examples of PMFs range between individuals of the coral Swiftia sp to sensitive biogenic reefs such as mussel-beds and maerl. The sector (industry and regulators) needs non-destructive, scale-appropriate methods for identifying and mapping PMFs. The student will initially focus on developing innovative, machine-assisted approaches to mapping the locations of blue- and horse-mussel reefs, both of which are local to SAMS (https://marinescotland.atkinsgeospatial.com/nmpi/) (e.g., Lochs Levan and Creran). Our surveys will extend to maerl as surveying resources/partner input allows.