Monitoring and Control of Offshore Aquaculture Systems

CINEMar/Open Ocean Aquaculture Annual Progress Report for the period 1/01/04 through 12/31/04

Principal Investigator: James D. Irish and Walter Paul

I. Accomplishments
The work performed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) as part of the University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Open Ocean Aquaculture Demonstration Project (OOA), is closely integrated and coordinated with the ongoing UNH efforts. The feed buoy controller and “Control Central” work is being done in close collaboration with Stan Boduch with input from the operations component of the program. The environmental monitoring buoy work is being carried out in close collaboration with Dave Fredriksson and the Environmental Monitoring component. Also, collaboration with the engineering component involves instrumenting the fish cages, moorings, materials issues and rubber stretch hoses. Therefore, the following report will necessarily overlap and complement material presented in the Project Infrastructure, Environmental Monitoring, and Offshore Aquaculture Engineering annual reports.

A. Scheduled Tasks
1. Feed Buoy Monitoring and Control: (in collaboration with Stan Boduch).

1. Continue to update, improve and extend the capabilities of the microprocessor software controlling the quarter-ton and one-ton feed buoys.
2. Develop software tools to send updated control files automatically to the feed buoy data systems to allow shore-based managers to change the schedules for feeding, video observation, data reporting, etc.
3. Improve the radio telemetry links to enable the data from the two feed buoys and the environmental monitoring buoy to be collected at the Seacoast Science Center and relayed to the operations center at UNH.
4. Work with UNH to develop an operations center (Control Central) to control the aquaculture operation.

2. Mooring Engineering Support:

1. Work with UNH to improve the tools used to monitor the aquaculture mooring system and to understand the engineering required for the optimum design of open ocean aquaculture systems.
2. Provide engineering support on materials and moorings to the OOA effort.

3. Environmental Monitoring Buoy: (in collaboration with Dave Fredriksson)

1. Continue the normal data collection activities, improving data quality, and making the deployment and recovery operations more routine. .
2. Work toward our long-term goal of having the hardware and support to provide continuous “24 x 7” operations so that the present monitoring system can evolve into a full observatory with nearly continuous data throughout the year.
3. Finish the upgrade of the radio telemetry link to improve the transmission of data from the buoy to shore and to UNH and to serve this data on the WWW.
4. Construct a new buoy hull to work toward our long-term goal of having two complete monitoring systems.
5. Upgrade the buoy’s data system to replace the now dated and damaged microcontroller, to expand the capability of the system and to make two systems for upgrading the old buoy to the standards of the new one.
6. Complete the addition of air temperature and PAR sensors.
7. Start documenting the buoy and observing system and move the design and methodology of maintaining the system toward an operational mode.
8. Process and archive the data in an appropriate manner with documentation, and work toward serving this routinely on the WWW.

B. Progress on Tasks
1. Feed Buoy Monitoring and Control:

1. Quarter-Ton Feed Buoy:
   During this past year, the hardware in the quarter ton feed buoy was upgraded to eliminate a noisy multiplexer that caused erroneous data to be recorded on the operation of the system and system status. The basic control of the feeding operations and video continues to work reliably. The new hardware required software upgrades to record and report the data in the format compatible with the shore-based support. This was accomplished, tested at WHOI, sent to UNH via the Internet, and radioed to the feed buoy offshore and implemented there. This feature of upgrading the firmware and control files remotely from shore appears to be robust and working well.

   The software for the quarter-ton feed buoy was also upgraded. Modification of the Control-C feature allows a user to break into the operation of the system and return to the DOS monitor to allow further operations. The previous implementation did not have any password protection. The password will provide additional protection to the system and will not stop the operation of the system if an accidental “Control-C” is typed without a password.

   The video control and feeding control were modified to enable more precise scheduling. Scientists can now provide schedules that not only vary the feeding and video timing hourly, but also can select schedules that vary from day to day. Multiple feeder files can be transferred to the buoy so that the details of the feeding sequence can be varied for different days and hours. In addition, the software now allows for comments in the control files to be sent from the control files to the science center, providing feedback for the monitoring scientists and engineers on what is being done by the buoy in real-time.

   The next step in setting up automated control is to enable easy transfer of control files to the offshore buoy. The software in the buoy system was modified to wait before any operation during the regular hourly sampling for an x-modem file transfer initiated by the shore station. If none were detected, then the system would continue to read the existing control files and operate normally. However, if there were files on shore awaiting transfer, then the system would automatically transfer the files, and the system would then change its sampling to use these new files. This automated system would allow the control files to be changed at any time, then transferred to the Seacoast Science Center computer and be transferred to the feed buoy during its next scheduled hour sampling. The hourly operation is scheduled for 5 minutes after each hour, offset from the one-ton buoy that performs hourly operations at 15 minutes after each hour.

   To aid in the testing of the feed buoy software, a test system was constructed at UNH and used at WHOI and UNH. The test set (designed and constructed by Stan Boduch), consisted of a power supply, board with LED lights to show the state of the logic control lines from the processor, and for inputs for the monitoring computer and GPS receivers (see Figure 1). This system was later expanded and modified by WHOI to support the one-ton feed buoy as well. The system, shown in Figure 1, is attached to the one-ton controller, but it is quickly changed to the quarter-ton controller by simply unplugging the 50-pin connector on the ribbon cable and plugging it into the proper microcontroller bus. As the processor in the quarter-ton buoy is a CF1 which is no longer supported (produced by Motorola), it is suggested that during the next reconditioning this unit be upgraded to the new CF2 model as used in the one-ton feed buoy and in the new environmental monitoring buoy systems.

2. One-Ton Feed Buoy:
   The one-ton buoy software was first written last year when there was a great hurry to get the system deployed. The main delay in this work was the late arrival of funding of the effort, which caused a delay in the start of the work. A great help was provided by Stan Boduch, who had documented the hardware that he had used in the buoy construction, and written an outline of the software from the requirements of the operations component of the project. Stan was also available during the “construction” of the software to discuss problems, incompatibilities with the outline, and resolve problems and design philosophy.

   This year the first version of the software (which was written, implemented and deployed with the buoy last winter) was modified as new and expanded capabilities of the one-ton feed buoy were implemented. The basic control system was similar to the quarter-ton feed buoy, with a control file to handle feeding times and a control file to handle the feeding operation. This year the software was extensively modified as follows:

   • Control of additional pumps and valve by the system was implemented. This was simple, as the framework had been established in the initial software to provide for this expansion.
   • The Control-C feature was implemented as in the quarter-ton feed buoy, and now is also in the environmental monitoring buoy to allow the restricted access to the system by authorized personnel (Stan Boduch and Jim Irish).
   • The software in both feed buoys was adjusted so that the hourly sampling would begin at 15 minutes after the hour. With the one-ton feed buoy, the radio and GPS were turned on before the hour to allow for warm-up and connection time. This meant that the input log at the Seacoast Science Center did not contain all the output from the buoy associated with each hours sampling. This is because the logging program (developed for the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory by WHOI), logs all the radio output during the hour in one file, and opens a new one on the hour. By changing the start time to 15 minutes after the hour, the normal startup, checking and feeding could be accomplished and the record logged in a full hours time at the shore based support computer.
   • The software was modified to provide for:
     - multiple feeding control files,
     - day by day variations of the feeding schedule,
     - hourly changes in the feeding and video schedule,
     as in the quarter-ton feed buoy. In addition, comments imbedded in the control file are transmitted through the telemetry link to the Seacoast Science Center and then on the UNH main campus to allow for better feedback for interactive feeding control.
   • The final major software modification that was made now allows the program to continue beyond the hour boundary. The initial software would complete any sampling program within an hour, and on the next hour (or 15 minutes after the hour) initialize itself and start over with the control of the times and feeding files. Additional software was written, tested and implemented on the one-ton feed buoy to allow the generator to remain on over the hour rollover to power lights, feeding, battery charging, etc. beyond the hour mark. In addition, the radio, the video system, and the control lines can be left on independently of the standard sequencing. This has worked well, for example, allowing the lights to be turned on morning and evening at programmable times to prevent fish maturation by simulating extended daylight.
   • After the initial software was implemented, a second support program was written using the basic components of the main program. This one allows the user (after he has interrupted the operation of the main program), to run a manual program that gives him access to all features of the hardware, even those not implemented in the main software. This has proven a useful tool for hardware testing and evaluation of different pumps, hoses, valves, etc. remotely from shore (or from a ship close by) via the telemetry link. Engineers can independently control the generator, contactors, GPS, power supplies, A/D sampling hardware, valves, pumps and relays. Engineering analysis is also performed in the program and the results returned to shore to further assist the engineer and aquaculture operations.
   • Ongoing software development continues on the automated telemetry of new control files from the shore-based station to the one-ton feed buoy. This is part of the Control Central development as discussed above with the quarterton feed buoy and below with the Control Central development.
3. Control Central Development:
   • The long-term goal of the Control Central program is to develop the software and hardware for shore based support of offshore feed buoys to allow control and operation of the open ocean aquaculture facility from shore. This is a development that will take time, and will be implemented from the offshore end shoreward as time and money allows. The offshore end is necessary to feed the fish and monitor operations. Automating this is necessary as we move toward an operational aquaculture operation.
   • The first step in this process has been completed ­ the automated operation of the offshore buoys under software control of files that can be sent to the buoys. We are now working on the second step - which is the automatic telemetry of these control files (time control and feeding control) to both buoys from the Seacoast Science Center. The system is nearly working, and is undergoing testing at WHOI using the buoy emulators shown in Fig. 1. During these tests we keep finding and fixing occasional bugs. However, the software is written so that if a problem is encountered, the buoy systems do not quit but continues operation with a default feeding program. Sometimes, not all of the new control files are transferred automatically, and the system will continue to operate with the old sampling program. When this feature is fully tested it will be implemented on the Seacoast Science Center computer.
   • The next step is to take the data now being telemetered to shore and display it on an interactive screen to allow an operations person to observe and control the operation. Stan Boduch has developed some WWW pages (see for example http://www.unh.edu/ooa/OOA/1TFBhourly.htm) that show the basic hourly data and system status output. By logging into the serial stream coming from the radio, one can watch the feeding operations and with another link watch the video on screens on shore. However, this part is not automated, and as time allows during the next year we will work with Stan Boduch to implement this next step. Also, if several people wish to log into the video at once, the telemetry link to UNH will not support real-time telemetry, so a system will have to be developed that allows several users to log into a computer at UNH that will serve the video data in real-time.
   • Radio telemetry is a central part of the control central and environmental monitoring buoy programs. In past years we have encountered problems with telemetry using the 900 MHz spread spectrum radios that were first used by Frank Bub and Ken Morey in the first environmental monitoring buoy system at the OOA site. The past year saw the implementation of new FreeWave Technologies radios, and directional Yagi antennas mounted on the roof of the Seacoast Science Center (by Stan Boduch for the feed buoys and Jim Irish and Stan Boduch for the environmental monitoring buoy). During the past year, these new radio systems have reliably supported the two feed buoys and the environmental monitoring buoy. Therefore, we believe that we are well established with the technology that will allow us to monitor these platforms and allow basic control of offshore operations.
   • The remaining problem for control central operations is real-time video telemetry. Based on early operations requirements for video, a standard Ethernet 802.11 radio link operating at 2.4 GHz was tried. This hardware was the only option available at that time that would provide the bandwidth to do real-time video at the rate specified (instead of the one or two second refresh times with 900 MHz hardware). Stan Boduch is trying some new technology that operates at 900 MHz but claims to provide the bandwidth for real-time video. If this does not provide the required telemetry, WHOI will work with Stan to try an Ethernet relay station on White Island, or possibly a higher radio tower on the Seacoast Science Center. With improved aiming of the directional dish antenna, a receiving amplifier, and new radio options, we hope to be able to provide the desired real-time video. An Ethernet link to the OOA site will allow researchers on board ship to log into the Ethernet to control offshore feed buoy operations, or to get data from shore for operations.

2. Mooring Engineering Support:

1. Elastic Modulus Report: Compliant elastic tethers can provide useful and unique components for ocean mooring systems. This technology is used in the feed buoy mooring system in the OOA program. To aid in mooring design and to understand the behavior of the compliant elastic tethers (as sold and terminated by Buoy Technology, Inc., Concord, NH) under varying tension, a used and new elastic tether were sent to Tension Member Technology for testing. The two tethers were stretched out to mean elongations of 100, 150, 200 and 250 percent and then cycled about these mean elongations by 25 and 50%. The results were used to calculate the elastic modulus of the compliant elastic tethers as a function of elongation. The results are presented in a WHOI technical report (Irish et al., 2004), and will be condensed into an IEEE Journal of Ocean Engineering article.

   The elastic modulus (Figure 2) is about 125 PSI and reasonably constant for small variations around 100 to 150% elongation. At maximum elongations around the mean, the modulus increases dramatically. When the mean elongation increases above 150%, the modulus increases and with it the slope of the tensionelongation curve. The maximum elongation in the tests resulted in a maximum elastic modulus near 900 PSI. Therefore, a constant elastic modulus is not appropriate for detailed modeling of the behavior of elastic tethers (and fiber ropes). Besides their ability to elastically stretch to 250% and sometimes above, they show a remarkable ability to instantly retract to their original length once tension is removed. Fiber ropes can only stretch, during first loading, by at most 60% before failure. The instant retraction after load removal is only partial and leaves a rope length considerably longer than its original unstretched length. Further reduction in rope length is through delayed recovery and requires time; some of the length increase is irreversible and is called permanent set.

2. Rubber Stretch Hose Report: Rubber stretch hoses can also serve as buoy mooring elements. These hoses are reinforced with counter-helical layers of nylon tire cords, which provide lower stretch but considerably higher working and breaking strength than a hose or elastic tether made only from rubber could deliver. The maximum working stretch can be designed in a wide range from 20 to 140 percent by selection of the wrap angle with which the counter-helical tire cord layers are applied. The hoses also allow the incorporation of electrical conductors, which were built into the first feed hose for the quarter-ton feed buoy for the OOA project and delivered in 2002. This hose supports about 3,300 lbs of maximum working tension with a predicted elastic modulus of 1,685 psi, it would break above 6,700 lbs tension at an elastic modulus of over 5,500 psi (Figure 3). Like rubber tethers and fiber ropes, the load elongation response of stretch hoses is nonlinear, and the elastic modulus increases with increasing elongation. The design procedure, fabrication, and mechanical properties of the rubber stretch hoses are documented in a WHOI Technical Report (Paul, 2004).
3. Load Cells for monitoring the fish cage mooring system: As part of a Saltonstall-Kennedy funded aquaculture effort at Eastport Salmon in Eastport, ME (a joint program with Dave Fredriksson), the load cells and recorders initially constructed for and deployed in the OOA project (see Irish et al., 2001a and Irish et al., 2001b) were repaired, upgraded and modified to remedy problems. These modifications were done for the Eastport project, but the modifications were done so that the systems could be deployed at OOA site on the new fish-cage mooring grid after the completion of the Eastport Salmon project (see Figure 4). Plans are for several systems to be deployed during the next year. Modifications that were done included:

   Corrosion avoidance: Some of the load cells had corrosion under o-rings and around welds that allowed water to enter the load cell and damage the amplifier and strain gauges. A modified design was successfully completed where the amplifier from any damaged load cell was moved from the load cell to the recorder, and the load cells were potted with urethane so that any water leakage could not reach the strain gauges themselves or short out the wiring and connector.

   • Addition of anodes: The load cell mounting strongbacks are made of steel that was initially planned as an anode for the 17-4PH stainless of the load cells. However, the strongbacks were then painted and themselves protected by zinc anodes, so they did not protect the load cells from galvanic corrosion. To provide anode protection for the load cells, two soft iron anodes were added to protect the 17-4PH stainless steel load cell material. This addition has reduced the observed corrosion in the latest deployments.
   • New amplifiers: New load cell amplifiers and signal conditioning circuits were designed to be mounted in the recorder pressure cases. These amplifiers also included voltage-clipping circuits that prevented over voltages from damaging the microcontroller’s A/D converter (such as would be seen if the load cell flooded and the bridge drive voltage shorted to the bridge output to the A/D).
   • Voltage Regulation: Switched voltage regulators were added to the recorders so that the load cell bridge drive voltage would be constant (9.0 v), and not contribute a drift in the estimation of tension on the load cell as the battery voltage decreased with time.
   • Finally, the operating range of the load cells was altered. Some of the old load cell amplifiers were modified so that the full scale working range was 0 to 30,000 lbf (pounds force). The load cell and amplifiers would work above this range, but the A/D recorder’s full scale would be the 30,000 lbs. Other new load cells for the Eastport deployments were constructed with 10,000 lbf. full scale range. The new load cell systems with the amplifiers in the load cell could easily be modified so that the range of the load cell could be changed as desired. The maximum design linear load of the load cells was 50,000 lbs, but they have only been calibrated and checked to 30,000 lbs. This should be adequate for monitoring the tensions in the new four-cage OOA mooring grid.

3. Environmental Monitoring Buoy:
The environmental monitoring buoy has evolved during the past four years from a wave-measuring buoy into an environmental monitoring system. This work as been carried out jointly with Dave Fredriksson and the Environmental Monitoring program. Other parts of this effort are discussed in the Environmental Monitoring report. Work during the past year included:

1. As part of the continuing monitoring effort, the buoy system was recovered, serviced and deployed three times during the past year. The monitoring mooring configuration for the 2004 deployments is shown in the Environmental Monitoring report. The buoy records data internally and telemeters this data to shore hourly. The on-board memory acts as a backup to the telemetered data. The mid-water and bottom instrumentation record their data internally. The data obtained during this past year is presented and discussed in the Environmental Monitoring Annual report. Working in collaboration with the NOAA funded UNH Center for Ocean Observing and Analysis (COOA), the data that has been collected is being served on the WWW, and plans are in place for the hourly data to be served as part of their effort (see Environmental Monitoring report.)
2. This past year, air temperature and PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) sensors were added to the wave buoy. A circuit was borrowed from the GLOBEC field effort and adapted to the wave buoy. However, to save energy, the power to these sensors was switched and this created a problem with “turn on” transient spike that were applied to the A/D converter that was well outside its normal operating range. This “hung up” the A/D converter and caused loss of much wave data during the past year (see the Environmental Monitoring annual report). When the power was recycled, the system appeared to be in good shape, but actually the A/D was damaged and should have been replaced and further data loss occurred.
3. Previous year’s telemetry problems were finally resolved this past year with the purchase of a new FreeWave Technology radios, directional Yagi antenna and a mounting for the radio and antenna on the roof of the Seacoast Science Center, and a new radio and antenna for the wave buoy. This replacement of the radio systems has solved the telemetry problem, and the data telemetry during the past year has been quite reliable.
4. Design and Construction of an updated buoy data system electronics PC board including the following:
   • A change in approach was made in the new system design so that each component would be separate, and there were no system components mounted on the A/D board (see Figure 4). All logic levels used to control the system power and data inputs are attached by connectors. This allows for easy servicing of the system by swapping out boards or connectors without having to solder components onto the microcontroller’s A/D development board. This should allow for the repair of the system in the field, and rapid deployment after testing with the new testing software programs. This is a further step toward an operational observatory.

     Dual accelerometer input was included that enables the plug-in attachment of either a Summit Instruments or Crossbow brand of three axis accelerometer (see Figure 5). The accelerometer is used as the primary sensors for waves, making the assumption that the buoy is a good follower of the water surface. This flexibility also allows for the easy connection of other accelerometers with a 0 to 5 volt output.

   • An air temperature and PAR signal conditioning circuit was incorporated into the main electronics board (see Figure 4) with clipping electronics to prevent damage to the A/D converter in the Persistor microcontroller which may lose data (as was experienced during the past year) if the input voltage exceeds 2.6 volts or goes below 0 volts. The A/D then hangs up and either a constant or zero is returned for data. The air temperature sensor (a 10k thermistor) was mounted in a Gill radiation shield to prevent direct solar radiation from affecting air temperature measurements, and the whole assembly was mounted on the top of the buoy tower on the radar reflector (Figure 7).
   • A new power board with newer, more efficient solar regulators (Figure 6) and diodes was constructed and added to the system.
   • The Garmin GPS receiver was also moved from the top of the mast (where it had previously been deployed), to the top of the radar reflector near the air temperature sensors (Figure 7). Two new GPS receivers (one for each buoy) were obtained. They are WAAS enabled (Wide Area Augmentation System) for more precise positioning and were now supplied in watertight packages.

     A logic “Latch-On” radio power circuit was included on the new electronics board which enables an operator on shore to log into the buoy system to reset the software, dump data or change software. This system has worked well on the two feed buoys, and is now added to the environmental monitoring buoys. This feature is password protected to prevent unauthorized persons from stopping the sampling program.

   • A spare FET power switch (with 1 amp capability) was added to the electronics board (see Figure 5). Also, a spare signal conditioning circuit was added which will allow for future expansion. The signal conditioning consists of operational amplifiers with a gain set by jumpers to 1 or 1/2 (with capability of changing to any reasonable gain), and signal clipping circuits to prevent damage to the A/D converter by larger positive or negative voltage spikes.
   • Modifications were made to the bottom end cap of the buoy and a second underwater connector (5 pin) and wiring was added to enable the serial input port on the Persistor microcontroller to communicate through the bottom end cap to additional instruments like the mid-water SBE37 (Microcat), or an ADCP mounted just below the buoy. This would allow the data from these instruments to be added to the data string and telemetered to shore hourly. Modifications to the software were made and tested to provide for the collection, logging and telemetry of data from a SeaCat on the second lower end cap connector. The system now reports this data if it is present. The microcontroller was changed from a Persistor CF1 to a CF2 (see Figure 5) that provides better timing and control (Motorola was discontinuing the support of the processor used in the CF1), and the shore-side development environment was upgraded to a newer version of the Code Warrior C++ development system.
   • A digitizer test program was also developed to aid in troubleshooting and testing system operation, and a 2-minute (rather than 20 minute) version of the software was developed to allow more rapid testing of the full system capabilities.
   • The Compact Flash cards used for internal data storage in the systems were increased to 256 MB (doubled) so that the systems can run for nearly nine months without losing data, or additional data can be recorded and we can still maintain our nominal 3 to 4-monthlong deployment plan (see Figure 5).
   • Modifications to the software were made to allow the user to “Control-C” into the system just before or after the telemetry of data. The software was also modified to clean up unused “features” that had accumulated with three years of modifications and changes to the code, and to eliminate some test features that were not used.

C. Important Results or Findings

• The telemetry from the environmental mooring (and the two feed buoys) during the past year was reliable, and problems of the past appear to have been overcome.
• The Environmental Monitoring mooring has provided additional information that is developing the “climatology” of the UNH Open Ocean Aquaculture site (see Environmental Monitoring report).
• The OOA monitoring mooring team (Irish, Fridriksson, and Boduch) were invited by Sea Technology to write an article on the monitoring buoy with telemetry and selected a picture (taken by Stan Boduch) to be the front cover for the May issue (see Figure 8). A number of requests for more information from the international oceanographic community have resulted from this article
• The feed buoy controllers have been quite successful in controlling and feeding the fish at the OOA site. The UNH hardware design and WHOI software have combined to provide a workable solution to this complicated control, telemetry and feedback problem.

D. Difficulties Encountered
With delayed funding, we were pressed to get the one-ton feed buoy software delivered on time, but accomplished the task. Also, we experienced in deploying and servicing the environmental mooring, some of which were caused by weather (which will not be reduced by having two complete operational systems). We experienced significant data loss (see Environmental Monitoring report) after damage to the buoy’s A/D systems caused by the addition of the air temperature and PAR circuits, and the way the data system has evolved with time that made it extremely hard to diagnose and repair problems. These difficulties have been addressed, and upgrades to prevent this problem from reoccurring have been incorporated into the new electronics circuits that have been constructed, are undergoing extensive testing and will be deployed the end of this year or the first of next year when the monitoring system is redeployed.

E. Anticipated Success in Meeting Project Objectives on Schedule
Although some of the project goals are continuing, the basic goals of the project will be met by the end of the end of the project period.

F. Reports, manuscripts, and presentations resulting from the project
1. Irish, J.D., W. Paul and D.M. Wyman, “The Determination of the Elastic Modulus of Rubber Mooring Tethers and Their Use in Coastal Moorings,” WHOI Tech. Rept., WHOI-2004-XX (in review), 2004.

2. Irish, J.D., D.W. Fredriksson, and S. Boduch. “Environmental Monitoring Buoy and Mooring with Telemetry,” Sea Technology, 45(5), 14-19,

II. Tasks and Activities for Next Reporting period

A. Tasks for the next reporting period

1. Feed Buoy Monitoring and Control: (work to be done in close collaboration with Stan Boduch).
   • Continue to upgrade the feed buoy software as required by operations and hardware improvements.
   • Assist in data telemetry upgrades to provide operational data as necessary.
   • Work toward completing an “Operations Central” control center.
2. Engineering Support:
   • Deploy load cells and recorders on the OOA mooring in support of monitoring and modeling studies.
   • Continue to supply information to UNH team on materials, ropes, hoses, etc. as required for OOA operations.
   • Continue to provide access to WHOI personnel and resources to the OOA effort as appropriate.
3. Monitoring Buoy/Observatory (work to be done in close collaboration with Dave Fredriksson, UNH/OE).
   • Completion of the second buoy with electronics, radios, etc and deployment as the next step toward providing a 24x7 observatory. The old buoy will also be updated with new electronics, connectors, radio, so that there will be two systems available to the observing effort to provide better data continuity.
   • Addition of an air temperature sensor at 2 meters elevation in a Gill radiation shield and a PAR sensor on the antenna mast for incoming spectral irradiance. This was started last year, but will be fully implemented at the start of the coming year.
   • Testing of coil cord telemetry of the 22-meter observations. This technology was started as part of a NASA funded technology development effort, but was never deployed. As part of this project, we will terminate the existing coilcord cable, and deploy the coilcord elastic tether system in the next year to test this technology’s ability to pass data around the compliant elastic tethers from the 22- meter SeaCat and telemeter it to shore for display on the WWW.
   • Rework the lower ADCP frame to hold two acoustic releases, line canisters and floats, and replace the mid-water flotation and release package with two plastic floats providing about 150 lbs buoyancy (the same as previously used). This will make the system easier to retrieve, reduce the mid-water drag and recovery problems, and streamline the system to improve operational efforts.
   • Establish routine procedures for checking and replacing mooring and recovery ropes, and mooring hardware. Start documenting the complete system and methodology as we move toward “going operational” and making this system part of the emerging National Observatory system
   • Recalibrate the instruments not calibrated by UNH (accelerometer, signal conditioning circuits, A/D converters, air temperature and PAR).

B. Brief work plan to accomplish tasks
Working closely with UNH personal, we will continue to upgrade the wave buoy software as needed, and work toward the operations center software development. The instrumentation (load cells, recorders, moorings, buoys, telemetry radios, antennas, current meters, etc.) is kept in conditions (as funds permit) to allow continued deployment to meet the goals of the program.

Although the project funding levels should allow us to implement the changes described above as part of the routine monitoring program, but the funding level is inadequate to allow us to obtain our goal of two complete systems this coming year to allow “observatory” operations. We are pursuing additional funds to supplement the OOA moneys to facilitate this operation and to make this mooring not just an OOA monitoring system, but also an observatory that is part of the national observatory system.

C. Anticipated concerns or difficulties
No major concerns. Within the budget and time constraints of the program, we should continue to move forward toward our long-term goals.

III. Expenditures
All expenditures for the reporting period were within anticipated levels.

Refrences cited
Irish, J.D., W. Paul, W.M. Ostrom, M. Chambers, D. Fredriksson, and M. Stommel, "Deployment of the Northern Fish Cage and Mooring, University of New Hampshire - Open Ocean Aquacultrue Program Summer 2000," Woods Hole Oceanog. Inst., Tech. Rept. WHOI-2001-01, 57 pg, 2001.

Irish, J.D., M. Carroll, R. Singer, A. Newhall, W. Paul, C. Johnson, W. Witzell and G. Rice, "Instrumentation for Open Ocean Aquaculture Monitoring," WHOI Tech. Rept. 2001-15, Oct, 2001.

Irish, J.D., D.W. Fredriksson, and S. Boduch. “Environmental Monitoring Buoy and Mooring with Telemetry,” Sea Technology, 45(5), 14-19, 2004.

Irish, J.D., W. Paul and D.M. Wyman, “The Determination of the Elastic Modulus of Rubber Mooring Tethers and Their Use in Coastal Moorings,” WHOI Tech. Rept., WHOI-2004- XX (in review), 2004.

Paul, Walter, “Hose Elements for Buoy Moorings: Design, Fabrication and Mechanical Properites,” WHOI Tech. Rept. 2004-06, July, 2004.