The marine science team at the Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) completed training with Blue Abacus on the use of Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) for the collection of data on marine wildlife around the Turks & Caicos Islands.
The training, undertaken from 21 – 25 October at the National Environmental Centre, enabled additional field team members to learn about the methodology, which would be used to further study the rich marine ecosystems our Islands are blessed with.
A thorough knowledge of our marine environment allows for more sustainable management of the natural resources our economy and livelihoods depend upon. Scientific Officers from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resource Management (DFMRM) also joined some of the fieldwork. The DECR and the DFMR will be collaborating on future fieldwork and data collection using the BRUVS.
The BRUVS sampling method is when BRUVS sit stationary on the seafloor and use bait to attract fishes into the field of view of the cameras with captured video recordings being used subsequently to identify, count, and measure fish sizes using the stereo aspect of the technique.
Special thanks to Provo Seafood, Blue Haven Marina and Island Vibes Tours for the support they provided during this fieldwork.
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