Cheap rugged autoreporting bottom-positioned oxygen/temperature sensors (CRABPOTS) for industry/tribal/academic collaboration

The Oregon Fishermen in Ocean Observing Research (OrFIOOR) program is a collaboration between Oregon State University researchers and commercial Dungeness crab fishermen in Oregon and Washington which utilizes fishing gear (crab pots) as sensor platforms of opportunity. The program was started in 2005 using small temperature sensors and has since expanded to include observations of near bottom dissolved oxygen. To provide better near real-time products to the fishermen participating in the project and research interested in hypoxia data, we propose a number of technology improvements to the current dissolved oxygen units which will automate data collection using wireless communications and improve sensor endurance through hardware enhancements.

I. Introduction

Over the last decade, regional ocean observing systems (OOSs) have been established along nearly the entirety of the US coastlines, forming a major component of the national Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). Observations from OOSs have become a fundamental component of coastal ocean research, and provide information to support decision making by governmental agencies and commercial enterprises, such as shipping and fishing [1]. OOSs rely on the development of new and innovative technologies to support the increasing demand for observations [2].