NSF PR 98-37 - July 6, 1998
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"Scifish" Technology to Protect Alaska's
Fisheries and Promote Sustainable Use
Patrick Simpson, the son of Alaskan fishermen, has
developed software and a type of sonar that will help
fisheries while reducing harmful effects on the environment.
Simpson, with the assistance of the National Science
Foundation's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
program, created Scientific Fisheries Systems Inc.
(SciFish) in 1993.
After receiving a computer science degree, Simpson
had trouble finding work in his home state. He moved
to California where he worked for defense contractors
and distinguished himself in the area of neural networks.
There, Simpson realized he could merge his defense
technology expertise with his background in fisheries
to develop a business that he could move to Alaska.
With the help of the SBIR grant, Simpson was able
to pack his company in a rental van and haul himself
back home.
This August, SciFish will release the latest version
of the software, Fisherman's Associate 2.0, which
combines fishery, oceanographic and navigational data
to direct fishers towards more productive waters.
As a former fisherman, Simpson was able to draw upon
his experience to create software which takes some
of the guesswork out of fishing. "By processing all
this data," says Simpson, "we can enable fishers to
get a better return while minimizing their impact
on the ecosystem."
Some evidence suggests that the world's current fishing
fleets could easily over-fish the ocean. This could
result in the collapse of an important source of food
for both humans and animals. In response to over-fishing
and bycatch-catching animals that were not intended
for harvest-regulations worldwide have put restraints
on common fishing practices.
According to NSF program manager Sara Nerlove, one
of the great strengths of the SBIR program is that
"it can foster technologies that nobody else might
risk funding; research that could lead to significant
public benefits. Not only will Patrick's efforts have
a profound effect on the state of Alaska, but also
globally affect how people can sustain a finite resource:
the world's fish stocks."
Using technology first developed in the defense industry,
SciFish has also created a prototype sonar device
capable of identifying individual species of fish.
This capability will become an integral part of the
Fisherman's Associate 2.0; it will allow commercial
fishers to identify fish before they pull them out
of the ocean.
"We have moved beyond using a single frequency sonar
to using a broadband system that emits a greater range
of frequencies which, in turn, gives us more information
about individual fish," said Simpson. The difference
between the two types of sonar is like the difference
between color and black and white versions of the
same photograph of flowers. They both show you the
tulips, but only the color picture can tell you which
ones are red.
The success of Simpson's company has spawned a new
interest in bringing other high-tech industries to
Alaska. Simpson co-founded the Alaska High-Tech Business
Council to help establish Alaska as a place where
high-tech businesses can thrive. The council strives
for Alaska to become less economically dependent on
natural resources.
Building on the success of Fisherman's Associate,
SciFish has been busy working on another NSF SBIR
grant for work to benefit the fishing industry. This
one is for Observer's Associate, software designed
to improve the ability of inspectors to monitor fishing
catches.
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