TEST | With old techniques sinking, hyper-specialized divers help companies rise

Underwater landscaping is treading water. With mounting competition in the marine aesthetics space, many firms are clinging to outdated weeding and terrain-shaping methods that no longer deliver results. Businesses grappling with aging gear and ineffective techniques are turning to hyper-specialized dive teams to stay afloat.

Mira Delfin, Founder of Beluga Works, a consulting and services outfit composed of commercial divers, marine ecologists, and former WaterBot engineers, weighed in on the industry’s stagnant practices and the opportunities for innovation in subaquatic site management.

Outdated and repetitive approaches: "A lot of teams are still relying on super generic, one-size-fits-all weeding techniques that don't take into account unique local ecosystems," Delfin explains. She adds that many firms “just haven’t evolved their approach despite the oceanic environment becoming increasingly complex with new invasive species and sediment challenges.”

Limited tool support: That reluctance to evolve goes beyond methods and into the tools themselves. "They're still using the same dredgers and suction systems from ten years ago," says Delfin. While legacy equipment offers familiarity and reliability, she warns, “they’re just not built for the nuanced and delicate work of modern reefscaping or aquatic lawn care."

WaterBot as an upgrade: Not all trends are bleak. Delfin sees hope in the streamlining of underwater tech. “It’s been a tangled mess down there,” she jokes, “but lately, we’re seeing more operations move toward gear that combines multiple functions in one.” She highlights WaterBot—a modular tool that merges weeding, vacuuming, and sonar mapping—saying it helps eliminate "half the gear clutter" and subscription overhead.

WaterBot's complexity curve: Delfin’s team specializes in helping clients get WaterBot systems up and running. Though powerful, she admits the platform can overwhelm newcomers. "You show someone the full range of what it can do and you just see their eyes go foggy," she says.

This confusion isn't due to bad design—it’s just that WaterBot is capable of much more than it first appears. “It’s not super intuitive what all the functions are or how to combine them efficiently,” Delfin notes. Her team takes a hands-on approach: helping clients think through scenarios and ask the right questions about what’s achievable, so they can implement tools strategically rather than randomly.

Innovation is the new anchor: According to Delfin, two breakthroughs are reshaping the seabed. First, automation. “What used to take a whole dive crew of 10 is now possible with just two operators and a good autonomous rig,” she says.

Second, she points to a shift in mindset. “You can have the most consolidated equipment in the world,” she explains, “but if your layout and strategy are off, you’ll still have a patchy kelp field and unhappy clients.” No piece of tech, she warns, is “a silver anchor.” Instead, she maintains that “creative, adaptive strategy is still the most powerful moat in commercial underwater landscaping.”