Oriel Systems

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A new solution, by Oriel Systems, allows operators to remotely view live video feeds of Salmon and Sea trout in order to monitor their numbers and gauge the health of the river.

The monitoring of spawning salmon and sea trout numbers in rivers gives a good indication as to the general ‘health’ of a river. It also helps to confirm whether pumping stations and other water control structures are causing obstructions to fish movements and if fish-passes are working as they should.

Research by the EA has found that some of the smaller fish passes previously constructed to allow to allow salmon and sea trout to travel upstream to spawn were proving difficult for the fish to locate during high river flows and it was found that large numbers of fish were congregating below these structures preventing them from their upstream migration.  During autumn these passes also often became blocked by debris which was limiting the ongoing recovery of the fish population.

The freedom of movement of fish is important in achieving and maintaining a good ecological balance to our watercourses

Live video feed is an excellent means of acomplishing this, however, live video monitoring generally requires either on-site viewing or a visit to download the information and re-playing at a later date.  Oriel System’s solution solves this issue by allowing live video feed to be transmitted back to a central monitoring station.

The solution, soon to be adopted by the Black Sluice Internal Drainage Board, provides time and cost savings and will be integrated into an existing on-site telemetry system, with the existing telemetry outstations being upgraded to Oriel’s Video Intelligent Telemetry Outstations or VITO’s.

The system comprises a number of compact submersible camera’s, specifically designed for underwater applications up to 50m deep and using built-in high sensitive IR LEDs, they can capture video in total darkness.  Various mounting arrangements are available however the BSIDB are mounting them in a perspex panel attached to cables and then lowered into positions that allow for easy retrieval for cleaning, the frequency of which will vary for different watercourses. Live underwater video images from the remote site are transmitted using mobile phone technology back to the Central Monitoring station and appear in a sub-window on the water company’s Telemetry Master Station PC. Live video is only displayed when required and movement is detected by the submersible cameras.

For further information please contact us on 01249 705070 or www.orielsystems.com