Case Study: Quinault Indian Nation enhances coastal resilience with Sofar Ocean’s Spotter Platform

Quinault Indian Nation deploys Spotter 2 miles offshore with Sofar Ocean to improve real-time coastal safety

The Quinault Indian Nation, an Indigenous community on the remote Washington coast, faced increasing peril from unpredictable ocean conditions due to climate change. Their safety and economic stability, which rely on fishing and harvesting, were threatened by a lack of accessible, real-time ocean data near their shoreline. They partnered with Sofar Ocean and the Backyard Buoys initiative to address this challenge using the Spotter Platform.

Sofar Ocean's solution involved deploying a Spotter buoy to collect and transmit real-time data on wave spectra, sea surface temperature, and barometric pressure. This gave the Quinault Indian Nation critical insights to inform safe fishing voyages, protect coastal infrastructure from storms, and plan recreational activities. The accessible and durable Spotter system provided the community with the data needed to enhance its coastal resilience against extreme weather.

Quinault Indian Nation