Belfast Area High School students in Chip Lagerbom and Genna Black's Marine Studies class recently practiced with one of the Belfast Marine Institute's ROVs (Remote Operating Vehicle) in the BAHS pool. The V6 Fifish ROV with 4K High Definition video is on a 600ft (200m) kevlar cable, there is also an attachable power claw to grab things underwater.

One student project this season will be the design of a certificate course in which a BMI ROV license could be earned by completion of piloting the ROV through different tasks, obstacle courses and scenarios, including a night-time or total darkness handling situation.

Other students in the Marine Studies class have chosen to focus their major projects on maritime use of aerial drones, the study of invasive marine species, the redesign and update of the BMI web page and social media presence, a re-articulation of the Minke Whale skeletal remains, the processing of harvested kelp, as well as many other interesting topics all involving the Marine world.

For more information about BMI visit https://bahsmarineinstitute.rsu71.org/