Please login if you have access to particular applications.
Project details
| Title: | Tasmanian commissioning deployment of mark II prototype Krill Observational Mooring for Benthic Investigation (KOMBI) |
| Id: | 2670 |
| Investigator(s): | Rob king
Australian Antarctic Division [details] |
| Description: | This piggyback project aims to commence commissioning of a modified sea floor lander that is intended for monitoring Antarctic krill biomass and vocalising krill predators. The Krill Observational Mooring for Benthic Investigation (KOMBI) was first deployed from RV Investigator in 2021 (TEMPO Voyage). The KOMBI II is the upgrade of the original KOMBI mooring and includes stereo cameras to enhance Antarctic krill biomass estimation accuracy through the provision of krill length information in support of the onboard active acoustics. RV Investigator is making a short transit voyage Hobart to Brisbane July 16-22, 2026 and will pass over the desired test deployment site (148.2052° E 43.2002° S) approximately 10 nm east of the Tasman Peninsula. This positions the KOMBI in an area that is convenient for recovery by RSV Nuyina during the December 2026 Trials Cruise and at a location that coincides with migrating Humpback Whale populations and so will collect useful data also. This test deployment enables the KOMBI II to be proven prior to a yearlong deployment in the Antarctic, thereby saving a year of development time for the project and enabling production of additional units to commence. The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) has developed a tractable plan to autonomously collect data from moorings in support of the long term sustainable management of the krill fishery in East Antarctica. The KOMBI includes a krill echosounder, current meter, video and lighting system, passive acoustics predator recorder. The first KOMBI was deployed 2021 by RV Investigator and successfully recovered one year later by RSV Nuyina. During the 2024/25 financial year the design of the KOMBI was improved to incorporate stereo cameras, the redesign is referred to as the KOMBI Mark II. The stereo cameras will improve the accuracy of the active acoustics which inform the estimation of krill biomass. The intention is to build up to 6 KOMBI II moorings in Piggyback Application total and they will operate in parallel with deeper water Moorings for the Epipelagic Echosounding of Krill (MEEK) and ship collected hydroacoustic data to create a comprehensive data stream of krill distribution, abundance and flux. The KOMBI mooring system is a key fisheries management tool for measuring krill biomass above the mooring throughout an entire year and at times when the area is inaccessible to survey vessels due to sea ice coverage. This comprehensive dataset will yield insights into krill distribution that will influence management decisions for the krill fishery. |
| Years: | 2026 |
List of surveys that this project was on.
Use [details] link to view survey details (map, reports, metadata etc) including links to download data.
| Survey | Investigator | Description |
|---|---|---|
| IN2026_T03 [details] |
Robin Beaman | The primary objective of this transit voyage is to relocate Investigator from Hobart to Brisbane. In addition, there are three supplementary projects and two piggyback projects included in the voyage. |