Sophisticated app helps identify and address aquatic pests

WA PestWatch is a smart phone app and web site developed for the Department of Fisheries Western Australia featuring the ability to submit details of sightings of aquatic pests within the West Australian area of interest.

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The app and web site feature a map to view all sighting reports and their status (confirmed as a pest or not by fishery officers) and a detailed species identification guide. Reports are enhanced with accurate GPS location details and photographic images of the sightings. Once submitted the report locations are initially verified via a server based GIS process to ensure that reports are within the target area and then later it is possible for WA Fishery Officers to record the outcome of their investigation of the sighting report confirming the existence of a pest or not.

WA PestWatch was released to the public in June 2013 and has been actively used since then by the WA public.

Customer Profile

Organisation: Department of Fisheries Western Australia

Location: Western Australia

Website: www.fish.wa.gov.au

Solution

Benefits

“This new app will give people with smart mobile devices an interactive tool they can use to identify pests, when and where they see them. It’s a great way for everyone to work together in the fight against aquatic pests.”

Professor Lyn BeazleyWA Chief Scientist

The Issue

With a massive coastal area and extensive inland water system to monitor WA Fisheries wanted to provide a tool that would enable the public to easily report sightings of aquatic pests. The aim was to quickly identify aquatic pests so that they can be dealt with as quickly as possible.

In providing the WA PestWatch app to the public of WA the number of potential reporters and the area under surveillance increased dramatically, greatly improving the likelihood that aquatic pests are identified and dealt with before they become established.

The Solution

Spatial Vision was engaged by WA Fisheries to develop a solution that provided a simple and powerful tool for capturing sighting reports, taking advantage of mobile device functionality such as camera and GPS.

The solution also called for a web based interface to enable people to submit sighting reports even if they did not use a mobile device. Using the app reports can be captured in the field whether connected or not. The apps store any unsent reports and allow the reporter to submit them once they have connectivity, an important feature given the vast areas of their coastlines and the remote locations where sighting may occur.

As part of the education focus of the solution, emails are sent to reporters providing additional information specifically about the pest that they reported and why it is important to know of its existence.

WA Fisheries officers may investigate reported sightings and the system includes an ability to adjust the sighting status to indicate that it is confirmed as a pest or confirmed that it was not a pest. Reporters are notified when their report is investigated and the pest status determined and changed.

The Benefits

The PestWatch app:

Features a list of pest species with detailed descriptions and images that help identification
When a report is submitted a spatial validation occurs ensuring that only reports that relate to the WA area of interest are submitted
Aquatic pest identification material is included and additional information is emailed to the reporter after submission
Reports can be captured in the field whether connected or not
A map of reports is available to all users and confirmation of pest status can be recorded by WA Fisheries