SAMS news room

Facial recognition software to help protect ocean giant

Euan Paterson Research Sat, Apr 5, '25
Images of skate, caught and released by anglers, are fed into the Skatespotter database. Photo: Ronnie Campbell
Images of skate, caught and released by anglers, are fed into the Skatespotter database. Photo: Ronnie Campbell
Facial recognition software to help protect ocean giant

A critically endangered giant of UK waters has been thrown a conservation lifeline thanks to a new project that uses technology similar to facial recognition to help monitor the species. Rate A Skate, a collaboration between NatureScot and The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), a partner of UHI, is using artificial intelligence to help marine biologists scan thousands of images of flapper skate, giving an insight into the movements and health of individual creatures.

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Schoolchildren with Hope the humpback whale at the Whale of a Time event

Tue, Apr 1, '25

School pupils step inside giant humpback whale

Outreach event focuses on marine mammals and climate change

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The vast seafloor of the Clarion Clipperton Zone is at the centre of the deep-sea mining debate. Photo courtesy of the National Oceanography Centre and the Trustees of the Natural History Museum

Wed, Mar 26, '25

Study reveals long-term impacts of deep-sea mining

Publication is crucial evidence in deep-sea mining debate

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Dr Matthew Davey led the expedition to Robert Island, Antarctica

Mon, Mar 24, '25

Antarctic algae discovery is like finding ‘a forest in a desert’

Red and purple algae contribute to surface melting on Antarctic ice cap

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Industry and academia meet to chart future of aquaculture

Wed, Mar 12, '25

SAMS joins global effort to grow seaweed sector

Mon, Mar 10, '25

Impact of global record-breaking heatwaves revealed

Fri, Feb 28, '25

Robotics event showcases future of environmental data collection

Tue, Feb 25, '25

Scientists to examine Greenland and North Atlantic tipping points

Fri, Feb 21, '25

Climate change reshuffling species ‘like a deck of cards’

Wed, Jan 29, '25

Plankton science needs old and new methods, say experts

Thu, Jan 30, '25

Climate change already affecting seashore species in Scotland

Thu, Jan 23, '25

New partnership to power next generation of scientists

Mon, Jan 20, '25

SAMS to lead examination into Dark Oxygen discovery

Fri, Jan 17, '25

The Ocean enters the boardroom

Mon, Jan 13, '25

Unique algae collection marks 20 years of growth at SAMS

Tue, Dec 10, '24

Marine robotics student makes a splash with ocean clean-up plan

Mon, Dec 2, '24

SAMS joins Baku Ocean Declaration

Fri, Nov 29, '24

Scientists address sea lice issues at national workshop

Thu, Nov 21, '24

Scientists investigate underwater tsunamis around Antarctica

Tue, Nov 19, '24

Scientists on the hunt for ‘ghost fishing’ gear

Thu, Oct 31, '24

Seaweeds feeling the heat as ocean warms

Wed, Oct 30, '24

Landmark report outlines drone development in research

Thu, Oct 24, '24

New jobs will strengthen SAMS' research capability

Mon, Oct 21, '24

SAMS welcomes new postgraduate students

Tue, Oct 15, '24

Project launched to discover new natural products

Thu, Oct 10, '24

High school Dux wins SAMS science prize

Tue, Oct 8, '24

Time to notice 'invisible' plankton, say scientists

Mon, Sep 30, '24

Student field trip inspires plastic pollution research

Fri, Sep 20, '24

Landmark reports reveal UK seabed carbon storage potential

Thu, Sep 19, '24

SAMS celebrates exceptional students at graduation 2024

Fri, Sep 13, '24

Oban up to the challenge as conference host

Wed, Jan 8, '25

SAMS Director to lead university-wide research

Thu, Sep 5, '24

Scottish-built light sensor reveals ocean discovery

Wed, Sep 4, '24

First Antarctica plant survey could aid conservation efforts

Tue, Aug 6, '24

SAMS and Clipper connect over ocean issues

Thu, Jul 25, '24

Deep-sea discovery calls into question origins of life

Tue, Aug 13, '24

‘Virtual taxonomist’ in training to identify toxic algal blooms

Wed, Jul 17, '24

Greenland science expedition to unveil critical climate insights

Mon, Jul 15, '24

Shipping warning as centuries-old Arctic ice released

Thu, Jul 11, '24

SAMS scientist appointed as government adviser

Wed, Jul 3, '24

UK ocean institutes to answer climate change questions

Wed, Jul 3, '24

Unique MRes to help research big ocean topics

Mon, Jul 1, '24

UK and Malaysia share seaweed knowledge

Mon, Jun 17, '24

Marine heatwave boosted UK land temperature record

Fri, May 31, '24

Seaweed forests an overlooked ally in carbon removal

Wed, May 22, '24

Transatlantic connections in the Canadian Arctic

Mon, May 20, '24

#WhaleTalk campaign engages Edinburgh audience

Mon, Apr 29, '24

Outreach with a distance at Dynamic Earth event

Wed, Apr 24, '24

Totally tropical adventure for trailblazing students

Wed, Apr 24, '24

Student takes centre stage at first ever conference

Tue, Apr 16, '24

Student using pedal power to attend energy conference

Wed, Apr 3, '24

Students praise Oban as 'home from home'

Wed, Mar 20, '24

Students cycle across Europe for new semester

Mon, Mar 18, '24

Salmon farming software to be showcased in Chile

Fri, Mar 15, '24

A cut, colour and climate change

Mon, Mar 11, '24

SAMS joins Scottish LGBTI+ Rainbow Mark

Thu, Feb 29, '24

‘Virtual marine biologist’ reveals Greenland sealife

Fri, Feb 16, '24

Increased rainfall threatens UK sea urchins

Thu, Feb 15, '24

Baleen whales may sniff out their meals

Wed, Jan 31, '24

Mission to save global seaweed stocks

Thu, Jan 25, '24

Euan Paterson SAMS communications and media officer

Euan Paterson

Communications and Media Officer

Euan.Paterson@sams.ac.uk
01631 559342 (direct dial)
07827 963984 (mobile)
01631 559000 (switchboard)

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