Buoys On Tour - SeaGen - Blue Tech For a Blue Planet

Join us as our innovative monitoring buoys embark on an exciting journey across the UK! From bustling ports to serene wildlife havens, including aquariums and habitats thriving with wildlife including seals, beavers, and otters, "Buoys on Tour" brings cutting-edge water and wildlife monitoring to life.

Caribbean Tank: Ocean Conservation Trust

Operated by the Ocean Conservation Trust (OCT), the National Marine Aquarium (NMA) in the UK stands as the nation's largest charitable aquarium, dedicated to advancing marine conservation, research, and public education since its establishment in 1998. Serving as a "window to the Ocean," and home to over 5,000 amazing marine creatures, the NMA combines scientific research with immersive experiences to foster connections between visitors and marine ecosystems. Through interactive exhibits and curriculum-linked programs, the aquarium has hosted across eight million visits, delivered over 500k educational on-site visitors, and inspired many more through our outreach programmes, emphasising marine biodiversity and sustainability challenges.

The development of this buoy has been sponsored by Oliver Wyman (many thanks to the OW team!) and named Beluga Whale by their team member, Samuel Ang because 'They’re majestic creatures whose population is being negatively impacted by rising temperatures.'

What we saw

Shark Tank: Ocean Conservation Trust

Marcus Williams, Curator at OCT, commented "Maintaining healthy and vibrant communities in an aquarium is reliant on finely balancing a variety of chemical, physical and biological factors. A disruption in any one can lead to catastrophic consequences for the animals in our care, which has to be avoided at all costs. Baseline Buoy is a super exciting proposition, it can give us live water quality data and alert us to any issues as they arise and will provide insight into animal behaviours in areas of our exhibits that we simply can't access without being physically present."

The development of this buoy has been sponsored by Oliver Wyman and named Joseph Buoys by their Munich team member, Yannick Lange 'After the German artist, social visionary and founding member of the German Green Party (how fitting 😉), Joseph Beuys.'

What we saw

Eddystone Tank: Ocean Conservation Trust

Ian McFadzen, CEO of OCT said "I'm really looking forward to the collaboration between the Ocean Conservation Trust and SeaGen. Our mission at the OCT is to protect the oceans for future generations by instilling optimism and inspiring people to connect with and care for the natural environment. SeaGen's exciting technology will help us do just this by making the sights and sounds of the ocean accessible to people no matter where they are. From the smallest fish to our resident sharks to seagrass beds and coral reefs, we will work together to capture the natural world in all its glory and livestream it to a smart phone in the palm of your hand. It really will put the ocean on tap!"

The development of this buoy, named KrOWken, has been sponsored by Oliver Wyman. The name was chosen by Michael Donatti of Houston, Texas because 'The Kraken was known for sinking ships, the KrOWken will be known for sinking seaweed.'

What we saw

Till the Coast is Clear

Till the Coast is Clear is a community interest company tackling marine plastic pollution through community-driven action. Using recyclable boats and kayaks crafted from recycled fishing nets, volunteers remove plastic waste from shorelines across the UK. Their "Active Regeneration" approach uniquely combines environmental restoration with mental and physical well-being, fostering connections between people and nature. Featured on BBC Countryfile, Spotlight, and ITV Westcountry, the organisation emphasises collaboration to address the urgent challenge of coastal pollution. By mobilising volunteers and repurposing materials, they turn cleanup efforts into collective community acts.

Gary Jollife, Director of Till The Coast Is Clear, said “Plastic pollution blights our waterways. At times it can feel relentless, every new tide seems to bring new, unwanted material. The advantage of baseline Buoy is it's a robot and is autonomous…. It won’t ever feel fatigue and can be out there every day doing its thing - tracking plastic pollution, and hopefully identifying some of the culprits and giving us the evidence we need to call out these bad actors.“

The development of this buoy has been sponsored by Oliver Wyman and named Orion by the IMEA Marketing Team 'Based on Orion’s Belt star constellation that has 3 bright stars, representing our region.'

What we saw

The Seal Project: MDL Marinas

The Seal Project is a Devon-based conservation initiative dedicated to monitoring and protecting seals along the UK coast, with a focus on rescued and rehabilitated individuals. The project conducts regular surveys to track tagged seals, including both Common and Grey species, such as the well-known 'Mary Poppins' and 'Easter Bunny' seals who are now local celebrities. Recognised for its impact, the team was a 2024 finalist in BBC Radio Devon's Make a Difference Awards (Animal category). Collaborating with local businesses, the project blends community engagement with science-driven conservation. Their work highlights the resilience of both wild and rehabilitated seals while advocating for marine wildlife protection through education and partnerships. Sarah Greenslade, Founder of The Seal Project, said “It's fantastic to be working with SeaGen to use the Baseline Buoy to monitor our seals. The data it will provide will be game changing for us: we already have a good idea of seal numbers from our surveys on the ground, but the ability to monitor, record and analyse seal behaviour, social interactions and community structures, and to do it safely from afar without disrupting natural seal behaviour… that sort of data is currently impossible for us to record with our limited resources.”

The Oliver Wyman buoy, Beluga Whale has been deployed again in Brixham, getting to know the local seals!

What we saw

The Ealing Beaver Project

The Ealing Beaver Project focuses on their vision to reintroduce beavers to urban settings, to restore local ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and promote natural flood management. The project successfully rehomed a family of 5 beavers from a conflict zone to Paradise Fields in Ealing in 2023, who have successfully added at least two baby beavers to their brood, and you can follow updates on the achievements and success of the family at the Beaver Project website. Community engagement and education about the ecological benefits of beavers are central to their mission, and community members and visitors can take part in regular Ealing Beaver Project guided walks to learn more about these incredible animals and their positive impact on the environment.

Elliot Newton, Co-Founder of Citizen Zoo and project Lead for The Ealing Beaver Project commented “For us, doing more with less is paramount. As our beaver population grows and establishes itself, so does the impact of our work and the essential need to show the world the real evidence of what can be achieved by restoration projects working on limited budgets. Baseline Buoy is going to help us do just that.”

Coming soon.

UK Wild Otter Trust

The UK Wild Otter Trust is a dedicated conservation charity focused on the rescue, rehabilitation, and protection of otters across the UK. Operating a Specialist Otter Rehabilitation Centre, the organisation provides urgent care for injured or orphaned otters, emphasising that "every minute counts" with 24/7 emergency contact numbers for public reports. In 2024, they expanded their facilities with new hospital buildings funded by partners like Classic Cottages. Beyond rescue work, they engage communities through educational blogs and fundraising initiatives (e.g., adoption programs and an online shop), and the project has been recognised with multiple awards including the Otter Conservation Charity of the year at the CorporateLiveWire global awards 2024/2025. The UK Wild Otter Trust promotes responsible otter watching, to minimise and prevent any unnecessary disturbance to otters and their shelters.

Dave Webb, Founder and CEO of The Wild Otter Trust, said "Baseline Buoy is going to be a fantastic and versatile tool for The Wild Otter Trust. It'll provide us the ability to check in on our otters without disrupting their natural activities and puts us on the global stage to raise awareness of the important work my team is undertaking."

Coming soon.