February 2024 Evening Technical Meeting – Reefs & Wrecks

Image courtesy of Disney+

The Society for Underwater Technology invite you to our February 2024 Evening Technical Meeting:

Date: Wednesday, 7 February, 2024

Time: 5.30 – 8.30pm AWST

Venue: Parmelia Hilton Perth

The evening will focus on the following three topics:

1.EXPLORING THE “ROTTNEST GRAVEYARD” – USING AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER TECHNOLOGY TO DISCOVER PERTH’S MARITME HISTORY

Phil Wells, MMA Offshore

Approximately 11km SW of Rottnest lies a shipwreck graveyard comprising over 50 vessels and vessel cargo. The dumping ground used from early 1900s for over 50 years provides interesting seabed features in 100m-200m deep water for remote sensing technology such as towed side scan sonar, towed or underwater platform synthetic aperture sonar, remotely operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles and related camera/photographic systems. Survey operations in this area 2022-2023 has enabled varying resolution georeferenced imagery generation from multiple platforms enabling comparisons and highlighting advancing technologies in seabed mapping and imaging.

2. BIG BRUVa – THE EVOLUTION OF MONITORING ARTIFICIAL REEFS IN WA

James Florrison, Recfishwest

The primary function of an artificial reef is to provide additional structure and habitat to support an increase in production of fish and other aquatic organisms. Globally, artificial reefs are deployed for a range of purposes however, in WA they are primarily installed for fisheries enhancement. There is a legislative requirement to monitor these reefs and information is needed to understand performance vs investment and to inform future design. Ongoing monitoring can be cost prohibitive, and requires large amounts of spatial and temporal data. Development of various methods, technological advancements, industry-research partnerships, and citizen science can assist with monitoring challenges.

3.DIVING FOR DISNEY

Ryan Chatfield, Terra Australis

Shipwreck Hunters Australia was the first ever Australian documentary commission by Disney+.

‘Searching for shipwrecks is like looking for the eye of a needle in a field of haystacks’

A unique team of adventurous divers and underwater filmmakers are joined by expert maritime archaeologists on the hunt for long-lost shipwreck secrets. Led by an obsessed salty captain, the missions combine new evidence, archival research, and all-out adventure.

REGISTRATION: 

If you have any enquiries, please email our Events Team.

➡️ETM Sponsorship Packages 2024

For sponsorship and event enquiries, please contact:
SUT Perth Branch. Tel: +61 (0) 8 9481 0999
Email: [email protected]