Press Release
Whale Seeker awarded $529,000 from Innovative Solutions Canada to test marine mammal detection technology
Montreal, QC, November 24, 2022
Whale Seeker announced today they have been awarded a $529,000 contract from Innovative Solutions Canada, as part of the Innovative Solutions Canada’s testing stream for technologies to detect marine species and biodiversity. This project involves analysing 100,000 aerial images of arctic marine mammals from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) using Whale Seeker’s proprietary AI tool, Möbius.
DFO is responsible for the sustainable management of marine resources, including marine mammals, via aerial surveys to estimate the size of different marine mammal populations. In recent years, aerial surveys have relied on manually analysed aerial photographs to identify animals of interest. This method is time consuming and requires multiple readers to verify counts. By standardising data analysis and reducing time and costs related to wildlife survey campaigns, DFO hopes to scale up the size and scope of their projects, expand monitoring capabilities to new contexts, and ultimately make decisions based on easier access to high-quality data.
Möbius is an AI tool that has been trained over the past four years with high-quality data sets specifically to identify marine mammals. It uses a “human-in-the-loop” approach, which combines the bulk processing power of computer models and feedback from expert marine scientists. Möbius processes aerial survey images substantially faster and more accurate than manual annotation then returns detailed, transparent, and auditable data in standardised form — allowing for meaningful comparisons across survey years and regions.
“We are thrilled to have this opportunity with DFO to scale Möbius and use ethical AI for managing Canada's marine mammals.” said Emily Charry Tissier, CEO & Cofounder of Whale Seeker. “Our collaboration will add value to existing monitoring programs and help managers make better science-based decisions with access to fast, high-quality data.” she added.
This contract will enable Whale Seeker to further fine-tune Möbius, and scale up the tool to provide value added to its clients. The project kicked off on November 3, 2022 and will continue until March 31, 2023.
“Fisheries and Oceans Canada is pleased to partner with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and Whale Seeker through the Innovative Solutions Canada program. As the testing department, our scientists worked closely with Whale Seeker to apply their technology to improve the delivery of science advice for Arctic marine mammal stocks." -- The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Media Contact
Marcela Quintero Aguirre
marcela@whaleseeker.com
Whale Seeker is a Canadian company that leverages ethical AI to simplify visual whale monitoring. Founded in 2018 by Emily Charry Tissier, Antoine Gagné-Turcotte and Bertrand Charry, Whale Seeker is bridging the divide between profitability and sustainability by making whale detection fast, accurate, and accessible. Click image for more information.
Innovative Solutions Canada is a Government of Canada innovation procurement program that supports Canadian small businesses by procuring, testing and evaluating promising pre-commercialized technology or late-stage R&D prototypes in real-life settings. Click image for more information.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for safeguarding our waters and managing Canada's fisheries and oceans resources. The Department helps to ensure healthy and sustainable aquatic ecosystems through habitat protection and sound science. We support economic growth in the marine and fisheries sectors, and innovation in areas such as aquaculture and biotechnology. Click image for more information.