Dolphin detection was one of the main goals of a bright yellow research buoy named Marinus, which spent over 2 years observing the coastal waters of Ynys Môn before quietly leaving service.
This buoy was sent out as part of a major marine research program associated with the Morlais tidal energy plan in North Wales.
The buoy first went to the Morlais site in 2023, returned after refurbishment in November 2024, and concluded its latest data-gathering mission in June 2026. Its focus extended beyond dolphins to include marine mammals and seabirds inhabiting the waters surrounding the proposed Morlais tidal array.
What researchers eventually recorded would become one of the most important moments of the entire project.
Researchers were still looking for answers
Marinus was deployed as part of the Marine Characterisation Research Project (MCRP), which was led by Menter Môn.
As the researchers continually gathered data on marine species passing through the area, Marinus established itself as a permanent feature in the coastal waters.
Protection of marine ecosystems has always been a high priority for the Morlais project.
The design of the research program was intended to develop a greater understanding of species inhabiting the waters prior to the commencement of large-scale tidal energy production.
Throughout the project, data continued to be collected and later distributed to various marine research programs throughout the UK. Data from the study also contributed to The Crown Estate’s Marine Data Exchange, expanding the evidence available to marine researchers.
Marinus became one of the most recognizable aspects of the project as the monitoring phase progressed.
One encounter showed they were on the right track
The project made considerable progress toward its goal when researchers confirmed they captured a dolphin encounter within the monitoring area.
At time of removal, the dolphin encounter had become one of the greatest successes of the entire monitoring campaign, as noted in a more recent report from Morlais Energy.
Morlais Energy also noted that this represented the first confirmed dolphin sighting made using the research program.
The observed activity continued for approximately 30 minutes with researchers creating a shortened montage to highlight some of the key features of this interaction.
Importantly, dolphins appear relatively infrequently within the Morlais zone, making this encounter particularly noteworthy.
Researchers said the time it took to record dolphin activity confirmed earlier assessments that dolphins are relatively infrequent visitors to the area. Therefore, both the sighting itself and the ability to monitor marine mammals during the study provided valuable data and new avenues for communication with regulatory agencies.
However, there were even larger accomplishments.
The story did not end with the dolphin encounter
Researchers successfully combined several monitoring technologies into a single system capable of monitoring marine mammals in near real time. These systems included sonar, audio recorders, and surface cameras, along with underwater cameras, all operating concurrently.
Additionally, machine learning techniques were applied to aid in classification of sensor-collected data.
Project managers characterized this accomplishment as a first-in-the-world advancement in marine monitoring technology.
This demonstration showed that multiple data streams could work together to document wildlife activity without disturbing normal animal behavior.
From a research tool to real-world technology
Additionally, researchers utilized dolphin footage to improve detection algorithms utilizing AI techniques within their own system.
Partners involved in the project believe that methods developed during this study may eventually enable commercial applications.
Project managers said the technology could help monitor interactions between tidal energy devices and marine wildlife, as well as offshore wind and other marine industries.
As tidal energy development moves closer to deployment off the Welsh coast, researchers believe that the methods developed through Marinus could have applications that extend beyond the Morlais project itself.
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