Anguilla plans three SOFAR buoys for ocean data

Anguilla’s Department of Disaster Management said three SOFAR Spotter Buoys will be deployed during the week of Monday 19 October to Friday 23 October 2026, with support from the Maritime Unit and Fisheries Department. The buoys are being donated through the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology’s RCCAME project.

The department said the buoys will collect and transmit near-real-time ocean data, including wave and swell conditions. It said the observations will support marine forecasting, monitoring of coastal and marine hazards, disaster preparedness, maritime transport, fisheries, tourism and coastal management.

The Department of Disaster Management said boaters should keep away from the buoys and their moorings, keep fishing gear and net lines clear, and report a buoy that appears damaged, displaced or washed ashore. It said boaters should not moor to, cut or interfere with, swim close to, touch or remove a buoy.

The department said the 27-month RCCAME project also covers environmental monitoring, climate services, impact-based forecasting and institutional capacity across the Caribbean.