Abstract

In the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve (RB) marine ecosystems at depths over 40 meters have been little studied, this generates information gaps that affect the conservation processes and recognition of the population dynamics of marine species. The local company SEPIAROV SAS, developed an ROV-type technology focused on the reduction of the necessary logistics, enabling its application in research exercises, called SEPIA that solves the need to evaluate deep ecosystems, reducing efforts and increasing background time. More than 20 prototypes were developed, applying agile technology development methodologies in order to adapt the operational capabilities of the SEPIA ROV to monitoring. Currently, thanks to the inter-institutional work that integrates the state through the Departmental Government and the CORALINA Environmental Corporation, the academy with the National University of Colombia, the private company SEPIAROV SAS and the community. SEPIAROV is being implemented in projects such as the monitoring of coral reefs, distribution of queen conch and lionfishes, in the latter identifying individuals between 50 and 89 meters deep, developing methodologies that allow to optimize the dive time and the results obtained. The SEPIAROV initiative has worked hand in hand with Macondo lab innovation, laboratories of the Simón Bolívar University, in order to boost technology innovation for the marine research community, with versatile tools that meet the needs of deep ecosystem research, key and invasive species in the islands of San Andres, Providence and Santa Catalina which have gained high importance in recent years.

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