Endangered Fish are Saved in New Zealand with 3D Printing

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) has used 3D printing technology to develop a photogrammetry system that can be used to identify and measure fish species more reliably. This means that endangered fish species can be better protected.

Photariums are indispensable tools for photographers, researchers and educators worldwide to safely observe live fish in the field. So far, however, they have only been manufactured in the USA and have not been supplied to New Zealand. Peter Williams, a freshwater ecologist at NIWA, then developed his own photarium and produces it cost-effectively using an industrial 3D printer that NIWA recently acquired.

“An older 3D printer would have only produced a prototype quality unit and we would have needed a costly specialist manufacturer to make the finished product,” he says. “NIWA’s new 3D printer is more advanced and allows us to produce a quality product at low cost which means its accessible to those who need it here in Aotearoa.”.

The NIWA Photarium is a small, rectangular plastic box with a clear side and an integrated scale. It allows you to study small fish without touching them or taking them out of the water. It also has a flap to shield the light and provide privacy for the fish to reduce stress during transportation.

Williams, who designed the NIWA Photarium based on his 14 years of field experience, has adapted it specifically for collecting small fish species in New Zealand waters.

“Many of our native species are climbing fish and the top part of the lid can be closed to stop the fish from jumping out. A mesh that’s printed into this hatch cover allows us to top up the water level for better photography,” he says. “The beauty of the 3D printer is it allows NIWA to produce Photariums on demand and to keep improving our design based on what we discover while using them in the field.”

The NIWA Photarium significantly improves the accuracy of fish identification. It enables catch and release with minimal handling and without the use of anaesthetics, the improper use of which can lead to fish mortality. It allows accurate observation and photography of small and delicate life stages of fish without harming them.

Due to its success in improving the accuracy of fish identification and photography, NIWA has already received over 70 orders for its Photarium from regional councils, Rūnanga, the Department of Conservation and education groups across the country. Williams also presents the benefits of the newly available Photariums as part of NIWA’s electrofishing operator course, which he runs across the country.