In 2008 OSIL (Ocean Scientific International Limited) supplied the Countryside Council for Wales with a data collection system, the platform for which is an OSIL Shearwater Data Buoy. Since 2008, the Buoy and YSI 6600 Sonde have been regularly withstanding 75mph winds and 4m waves to collect temperature, salinity, DO, Chlorophyll and turbidity data on an hourly basis. Dr Richard Wiliams, Managing director of OSIL, comments ‘The Shearwater Buoy is a solid basis for our Data Buoy programme, and our systems work is now covered by our ISO 9000:2001 scope’.

The robust design of the Shearwater Buoy allows data collection to continue in even the harshest conditions, and has resulted in fewer maintenance trips, thus saving time and money.  Mark Burton, of Skomer Marine Nature Reserve said ‘The data collected provides vital surveillance data to back up the wide range of biological recording within MNR. It is hoped that this system can be maintained into the future to provide long term records of the environment to help us understand climate change’.

For more information about OSIL and also about OSILs extensive range of products and services, please visit the OSIL website at www.osil.co.uk or call 023 9248 8240.