IBEX 365 Education
Leveraging Technology and Marine Electronics to Reduce Risk of Vessel Strikes with Protected Species and Improve Boater Safety
Brought to you by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) and the Whale and Vessel Safety Taskforce (WAVS), this recorded webinar from December 11th, 2024 looks at the growing regulatory, legal, and media attention on the interactions between vessels and marine mammals, as well as other protected species. Current management tools aimed at reducing the risk of mortality and serious injury from vessel strikes primarily focus on speed restrictions for certain classes of vessels. These restrictions can have a significant impact on vessels designed to operate at higher speeds. Technology offers a promising alternative to mitigate the risk of vessel strikes on North Atlantic Right Whales (NARWs) while minimizing operational disruptions.
Today, systems are available that can detect small objects in the water at ranges that provide vessels with enough time to take evasive action. Ongoing efforts to enhance the integration of these systems and effectively share data among fleets hold significant potential for enhanced and scalable risk reduction. Education and industry outreach are crucial to maximizing the effectiveness of these technologies and promoting widespread adoption. The most effective outreach strategy involves first educating marine electronics dealers and technicians about how these systems can be applied for risk reduction, along with information on potential updates or features available for currently deployed equipment. This foundational step is essential before engaging end-users (i.e., consumers).
Additionally, it is important to conduct outreach regarding the role of technology in the broader risk reduction strategy. Educating regulators, legislators, and the private sector on these advancements ensures that resources are allocated to support and accelerate further refinement and commercialization of these solutions.
This panel discussion focuses on providing an overview on how technology can be used for detecting marine mammals, sharing critical information, and reducing vessel strike risk through technology. The panelists discuss how to update electronics such that they include current NOAA cartography including regulatory information such as seasonal and dynamic management areas, the use of optics such as thermal and infrared (IR) imagining and other systems for marine mammal detection, and pathways WAVS is exploring so that this information can be shared among boats and graphically displayed on chart plotters.
Panelists
Mark Reedenauer
President
National Marine Electronics Association
Mark Reedenauer is the President and Executive Director of the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) and brings 25 years of marine electronics industry experience. The NMEA facilitates, supports and provides marine electronics training and standards. Mark and the NMEA are eager to build and nurture industry relationships to bring young talent into this great industry. The NMEA has an extensive training program for marine electronics installers and also partners with local marine technology trade schools.
Tom Millanette
Senior Sales Manager
Teledyne FLIR, Maritime
Tom Milanette has over 25 years of experience in the marine electronics industry and has worked for manufacturers including Northstar Technologies, Brunswick New Technologies, and currently Teledyne FLIR where he has been for over 18 years. He is a Senior Sales Manager in FLIR’s commercial maritime business segment based out of Hudson, New Hampshire. Tom has extensive experience in the use of thermal imaging technology in a maritime environment where it is used for a variety of applications on the water including aid to navigation, object and mammal detection, search and rescue, and collision avoidance. Tom is a Board Member on the National Marine Electronics Association’s Board of Directors. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and former infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps.
Todd Tally
General Manager
Atlantic Marine Electronics
Todd leads a team of over 90 people across six U.S. locations. He has more than 25 years of experience in marine electronics, with in-depth knowledge of communications, navigation, entertainment and fish finding and safety technologies. Todd also volunteers on various industry committees and boards for NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) and recently has brought his technical expertise to the WAVS (Whale and Vessel Safety) Taskforce to develop whale-tracking technologies.
Shaun Ruge
Director, Segment Business Development – Marine
Garmin
As an avid boater from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, vessel strike risk mitigation is a familiar topic. Shaun resides in proximity to the breeding and feeding grounds of a variety of marine mammals as well as a hub of recreational and commercial boating activity and conservation research within the New England area. Shaun has an academic background in Natural Resources and has been working in marine cartography and business development at Garmin & Navionics since 2005.
Stephen Thomas
Product Development Manager
Navico
Stephen Thomas is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma and represents Navico Group, a division of Brunswick Corporation. Steve is a Director of Product Management at Brunswick and served as Executive Vice President of Product Office at Navico. He has over 25 years of experience in bringing new products to market in high tech and consumer electronic industries and holds a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Kansas State University.
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