Issue 45 - December 2018

SmallScaleOA: A Win-Win for Academia, Industry, Community, and Conservation

By Katharine (Kat) Leigh

My passion has been, and always will be, ocean conservation. Seafood is my focus. This has driven me to seek sustainable solutions for fisheries like kick-starting an innovative social venture: SmallScaleOA. This year SmallScaleOA (previously known as FishcoinOA) was selected from over 1,150 solutions as an MIT Solve Challenge finalist.

person in fishing boat

But what’s SmallScaleOA? SmallScaleOA is an initiative that leverages public blockchain technology to incentivize traceable and transparent seafood, as well as inclusive, low-cost ocean acidification (OA) research on a hyper-localized scale. That’s quite a mouthful…let me explain.

The “OA” in SmallScaleOA stands for “Ocean Acidification.” With oceans 30% more acidic now than they were 200 years ago, OA is expected to cost the world USD 1 trillion per year by the end of the century. OA threatens human food security, the loss of which can generate social disruption, migration, and refugee crises. We need adaptation and mitigation strategies, pronto. But identifying potential strategies requires data; data that is lacking. Research on OA is expensive, the Indo-Pacific is understudied, and coastal waters are poorly understood. Continuous, fine-scale data is sorely lacking too, since autonomous measurements come from just a few scattered buoys.

Enter SmallScaleOA. The initiative will equip small-scale Indonesian fishers with sensors. Just as a satellite roams the Earth collecting images, these fishers will roam the coastlines collecting OA data! The fishers’ mobile phones will provide needed complex computing power, enabling SmallScaleOA’s sensors to be small, cheap, and streamlined. And blockchain-based SmartContracts will ensure that the fishers receive rewards for the data uploaded. What’s a SmartContract? It’s a bit of code that (in the SmallScaleOA context) sets certain requirements for data-sharing.

fish market

One company is already setting up these types of SmartContracts: Fishcoin. A peer-to-peer network championed by parent company, Eachmile Technologies, Fishcoin allows independent industry stakeholders to harness the power of blockchain using a shared protocol so that data can be trusted, transparent, and secure. It does this via Fishcoin tokens, which are used to satisfy the data access requirements of its SmartContracts. Plus, Fishcoin tokens are not only valuable inside the blockchain, but outside it, too, since they can be converted into real-world goods (i.e. top-up credits on solar power systems or prepaid mobile plans). Paying for texting or electricity with seafood info? Heck yes!

SmallScaleOA, however, will look beyond just seafood data, incorporating information about the very environment affecting seafood production, starting with ocean chemistry data. Check out how SmallScaleOA could work with Fishcoin:

SmallScaleOA informational flow diagram, example using Fishcoin. Wherever data is exchanged, tokens are exchanged, too.

Ocean chemistry data is pretty cool. Combined with data from other sources like satellites, we can build insightful algorithms (no more laborious, contamination-prone water samples for alkalinity measurements!) that can feed into models, helping communities predict the impacts of natural and anthropogenic changes. And because of SmallScaleOA’s digitally-integrated data collection, we can even make near-real-time maps that depict fine-scale, dynamic coastal conditions.

SmallScaleOA will be the first direct incentivization of ocean research through blockchain. It will align the interests of researchers seeking environmental understanding with industry striving to mitigate supply chain risks. SmallScaleOA transforms the research process from disengaged and often exclusionary, to a mechanism that is accessible and connected to the communities from which data is sourced, and the management decisions based off of it.

Speaking of inclusion, SmallScaleOA would be impossible without the tireless efforts of other researchers and advocates, many of them women. I’ve been able to identify potential technologies, data uses, and cost-savings by digging through decades of previous studies, and consulting with experts in their respective fields. With so much more work to be done, collaboration is indispensable. So, this is a request for within and outside the WAN community: will YOU help me? Do YOU want to get involved, provide a creative idea for my data, or help SmallScaleOA put sensors in the water? If so, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you!

Other articles in the Women’s Aquatic Network December series:

A Woman, a Vision, a Network: The Rise of WAN in Washington and the Importance of Women in Marine and Coastal Affairs, By Katy Lackey
From Wrecked Reefs to Ocean Optimism, By Dr. Nancy Knowlton
Becoming a Miami Waterkeeper, By Dana Tricarico
SmallScaleOA: A Win-Win for Academia, Industry, Community, and Conservation, By Katharine (Kat) Leigh
Diving Dreams and Solo Travel, By Victoria Bell
Why the Women Around You Are the Network You Need, By Dana Rollison

Kat Leigh headshot

Katharine (Kat) Leigh is the Leader of SmallScaleOA. Kat has worked in both the non-profit and private sectors. Ultimately, her goal is to combine economics, marine ecology/biology, and a dash of technology in order to incentivize sustainability in Indonesian small-scale fisheries. She has been a WAN member since 2017, having joined after networking with current members and participating in the organization’s coastal clean-up event.

Kat has a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology from Cornell University. She also holds minors in Environment and Resource Economics and International Development. You can reach Kat at: kll86@cornell.edu.

Note: Views expressed in this article are the author’s own. They do not necessarily represent WAN or the author’s employer.

References

Fishcoin. (2018). Fishcoin, A Blockchain Based Data Ecosystem For The Global Seafood Industry. Singapore. Retrieved from https://fishcoin.co/files/fishcoin.pdf
Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Poloczanska, E. S., Skirving, W., & Dove, S. (2017). Coral Reef Ecosystems under Climate Change and Ocean Acidification. Frontiers in Marine Science. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00158
Henson, S. A., Beaulieu, C., & Lampitt, R. (2016). Observing climate change trends in ocean biogeochemistry: when and where. Global Change Biology, 22(4), 1561-1571. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13152
Oceana. (2012). Ocean-Based Food Security Threatened on a High CO2 World, A Ranking of Nations’ Vulnerability to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification. District of Columbia. Retrieved from https://oceana.org/sites/default/files/reports/Ocean-Based_Food_Security_Threatened_in_a_High_CO2_World.pdfSecretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. (2014). Global Biodiversity Outlook 4: A mid-term assessment of progress towards the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Montreal: United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved from https://www.cbd.int/gbo4/
The Smithsonian. (2018, 9 4). Ocean Acidification. Retrieved from Ocean Portal: https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/ocean-acidification
Yang, Y., Hansson, L., & Gattuso, J. P. (2016). Data compilation on the biological response to ocean acidification: an update. Earth System Science Data, 8(1), 79-87. doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-79-2016

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Ending-Donate-Logo”]

Related Topics:acidification Blockchain technology Women's Aquatic Network

Up Next

Diving Dreams and Solo Travel

Don't Miss

Becoming a Miami Waterkeeper

Issue 45 - December 2018

All-Female Professional Crew Announces Campaign for Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

Team Ocean Respect Racing, led by Stacey Jackson, to raise awareness of ocean health issues in Australia, supported by 11th Hour Racing.

Ocean Respect Racing, Wild Oats X – 11th Hour Racing, Photo by Salty Dingo 2018

In a bid to encourage stronger female representation in Australian sailing, and to promote ocean health and sustainability, the first all-female professional crew to enter the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has announced its campaign to win the coveted Tattersall Cup in Hobart.

The 13-strong crew, led by Skipper Stacey Jackson, will race under the team name Ocean Respect Racing, in partnership with 11th Hour Racing, an organization that promotes sustainability through sport. The team name expresses the message this outstanding group of sailors will spread throughout the sailing community in Australia, inspiring fellow competitors, event organizers, and supporters to protect the ocean. Sailing on the 66 footer Wild Oats X, the crew is a serious contender in the race, with a combined experience of 68 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races and 17 Volvo Ocean Races.

Stacey Jackson, Skipper and Founder of Ocean Respect Racing noted:
“Sailing with a fully professional, all-female crew to Hobart is a wonderful opportunity and we are proud to build on the work of non-professional female crews who have previously raced. We are excited to promote and encourage women in the sport and engage with the Australian public on ocean health issues that are affecting us daily, both locally and globally. We are working with environmental organizations, as well as local yacht clubs, to further educate ourselves, be proactive in mitigating our impact on the ocean, and inspire our fans and communities to become ocean stewards.”

Since 2010, 11th Hour Racing has harnessed the power of sport for positive change with an innovative approach, establishing strategic partnerships within the sailing and maritime communities. These include the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race and a team in the 35th America’s Cup, along with giving more than 80 grants to not-for-profit organizations throughout the world, and engaging professional sailors as global ambassadors.

Rob MacMillan, Co-Founder of 11th Hour Racing, noted:
“We are thrilled to continue our work with Stacey Jackson in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, building on her legacy with Vestas 11th Hour Racing and the Volvo Ocean Race. Stacey is a keen advocate for ocean health, which she demonstrates daily as a professional sailor and as a business owner. The opportunity to work with an all-star female team in this iconic offshore race is a great platform to raise awareness, and act, on the global issue of plastic pollution. We are very proud to support the legacy that Stacey and her team are going to build in her home country.”

Ocean Respect Racing will promote the UN Environment’s Clean Seas campaign, a grantee of 11th Hour Racing, growing the momentum of Australia’s recent commitment to the campaign to reduce ocean plastics.

Sandy Oatley, whose family owns Wild Oats X and Wild Oats XI, noted:
“Sailing is a sport that my family is incredibly passionate about and we were delighted to agree to contribute Wild Oats X to Stacey’s campaign at Hamilton Island Race Week. We are looking forward to seeing both Wild Oats XI and Wild Oats X on the starting line for what is expected to be a strong race.”

Ocean Respect Racing’s crusade to Hobart became a reality when Sandy Oatley gifted Stacey Jackson the use of Wild Oats X for the race on behalf of the Oatley family. Wild Oats X is the sister ship to supermaxi Wild Oats XI, which has been decorated with line honors in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race a record-breaking eight times.

Working closely with Stacey Jackson as Ambassador for the team is Hon. Julie Bishop, former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Australia’s first female Foreign Minister.
“I am delighted to be the ambassador for Ocean Respect Racing. This historic initiative will set the benchmark for female participation in sailing in Australia, and Stacey’s team comprises some of the most capable sailors. Importantly, I am looking forward to working closely with the team and the UN Environment’s Clean Seas campaign to promote the importance of ocean health and sustainability in Australia. I hope that their sporting endeavors will inspire women and girls around the world,” commented Ms. Bishop.

The Ocean Respect Racing team will make its debut at the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on December 11th in Sydney Harbour. The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will start on December 26th.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Ending-Donate-Logo”]

Conservation Photography

Hairy Frogfish – Lembeh Indonesia: Jack’s December 2018 Underwater Photography Feature

This is the hairy looking beast is the striated frogfish and you’re not gonna believe how it catches it’s food.

Why do they call it the hairy frogfish?

The fish is a terrible swimmer and does more “walking” due to the design of their side fins which actually have joints like toes. And much like frogs, the frogfish will attempt to stuff any creature into their over sized mouths.

Their body is covered in 1,000’s of fleshy spines that looks just like… you guessed it… hair. These hair like body extensions are called spinules and help the frogfish to blend into coral, sponges and sea weed. These unique “hairs” can also change color to match their surroundings, making this fish extremely difficult to spot on the ocean floor.

You can find this crafty creature in oceans all over the world hanging out near sandy bottoms, by coral reef, sponges, or hiding in trash and debris.

Did you know that when the frogfish is in a favorable spot for hunting that it will stay in the same position on the ocean floor for weeks at a time.

So how does it catch it’s prey?

The frogfish is known as an angler fish. They have a special adaptation on the top of their head that hangs out in front of it’s face like fishing lure. This can sometimes look a shrimp or a small fish that dangles and attracts unsuspecting prey. The camouflaged frogfish will wait til it’s victim gets close enough and then BAM! strike with lightening speed so fast, that’s it’s unseen by the human eye.

Here’s another surprising fact. Frogfish are also cannibals, meaning they eat their own kind. Males have been known to kill and eat a female frogfish if she stays too close after mating.

See more of Jack’s underwater photography on Instagram and at https://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/1752805/

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Ending-Donate-Logo”]

Conservation Photography

Under the Waves with Karim Iliya for December 2018

This month’s feature:

Whale in Tonga

In Vava’u Tonga, Humpback whales battle and race during a heat run, a mating competition led by a female in the front, where male humpbacks can often battle for hours. The fastest, smartest, strongest, most determined whale usually win.

Karim Iliya Logo

Karim was published in National Geographic magazine for his humpback whale photography. He now leads his own trips so that others can swim with whales.

If you are interested in swimming with or photographing humpback whales, Karim guides people in small trips between August and October every year in Tonga. Visit www.dancewithwhales.com to find out more

To see more of Karim’s work, visit his website at www.karimphotography.com