Surrey’s NatureMetrics launches autonomous marine sampling device

NatureMetrics, a nature intelligence company based in Guildford, has collaborated with Canadian manufacturer Dartmouth Ocean Technologies (DOT) to launch a new device.

The DOT-NM Autosampler enables autonomous collection of eDNA samples – genetic material naturally shed into water by organisms – in both marine and freshwater environments.

This allows for safer, more cost-effective collection, which would typically require labour-intensive vessel-based campaigns.

NatureMetrics expects the device to be used in the fields of marine conservation, offshore energy, aquaculture, wastewater, and more.

Dr. Nathan Geraldi, senior technical marine product owner at NatureMetrics, said: “Through integration with our proprietary eDNA workflows, this solution enables the collection of comprehensive biodiversity data required to make informed decisions for conservation, regulatory compliance and ecological research – even in the most remote areas.”

Arnold Furlong, CEO of Dartmouth Ocean Technologies, added: “We are proud to officially launch this pioneering autonomous sampling product in partnership with NatureMetrics and open the door to biodiversity monitoring at a scale previously unattainable.

“The DOT-NM Autosampler harnesses complementary expertise to overcome the limitations of traditional survey methods through safe, cost-effective and unsupervised eDNA sampling in all aquatic environments.”