PAMBuoy acoustic monitoring system helps protect salmon rising at new Forth Road Bridge crossing

The new PAMBuoy™ acoustic monitoring system officially launched in September by SMRU Ltd, the spin out from the Sea Mammal Research Unit at University of St Andrews, is being used to protect salmon in the River Forth estuary during the construction of the new Forth Road Bridge.

PAMBuoy™ systems are installed from the legs of the existing road bridge, with hydrophones in the water, monitoring the noise generated from construction activities. The measurements are sent back to FCBC (Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors) the construction consortium client, and SMRU Ltd using 3G smartphone technology ensuring real-time, up-to-date information is available for operational decision making. In addition PAMBuoy™ is delivering a remote monitoring unit which the FCBC team are using to get real-time data on their activities whilst deployed from a drifting vessel.