Sri Lanka’s only ocean data collecting research buoy owned by the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) has been found four years after it was lost in the seas off Batticaloa, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development said.
Although NARA has conducted several searches during the past years the buoy was not found. However, a joint search conducted recently by the hydrography section of NARA in collaboration with Sri Lanka Navy’s Hydrographic Service was able to locate the buoy.
The research buoy, which collects valuable hydrographic data, was a gift of U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office to Sri Lanka.
The buoy went missing four years ago while collecting data in the sea area off Batticaloa area, the disappearance of the buoy was blamed on the fishermen’s carelessness.
Following the discovery of the buoy, the US Oceanographic Office has praised Nara’s and Sri Lanka Navy’s hydrographic units as well as Sri Lanka.
Samudrika Research Vessel (Samudrika RV) of the NARA has located the lost buoy while conducting research in the sea bed off Batticaloa and with the assistance of Navy, has brought the buoy to the Trincomalee Harbor. The ship carrying the buoy has then left for Galle Harbor.
The buoy collects data on a whole range of weather variables such as water temperature, and barometric pressure and the patterns of fish movement etc.
The Hydrographic Division of NARA says analysis of the data enables to plan future activities of the fisheries industry and to identify future challenges as well as to prepare and implement more practical and effective plans to face those challenges.
The Hydrographic Division says all the data obtained during the last four years are securely stored in the recovered buoy.
According to the Hydrographic Division only NARA has a research buoy to collect the data on the ocean bottom.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
