News: Guam Coastal Management Program Launches First Southern “Backyard Buoy” to Enhance Ocean Safety and Coastal Monitoring
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 9, 2025 Guam Coastal Management Program Launches First Southern “Backyard Buoy” to Enhance Ocean Safety and Coastal Monitoring Hagatña, Guam – In a major step toward improving ocean safety and climate resilience, the Bureau of Statistics and Plans, Guam Coastal Management Program (GCMP) has deployed the first of two community-informed Backyard Buoys off the island’s southwestern coastline. The first wave-monitoring device, deployed off the coast of Hågat, will deliver real-time ocean data to benefit fishers, boaters, scientists, and coastal planners. The second southern Backyard Buoy is scheduled to be deployed at the end of July near the entrance of the Cocos Lagoon. The buoys, about the size of a basketball and colored bright yellow for visibility, were provided through a partnership with the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS). Designed for nearshore use, they transmit wave height, direction, period, and water temperature data to online and mobile platforms accessible to the public. “This project brings technology closer to the people,” said Camille Quichocho, Biologist with GCMP. “From boaters and fishers to engineers, everyone gains from having access to timely, reliable ocean data—especially in areas where it’s never been available before.” The buoy locations were selected following
