Canada expedition to livecast exploration of Pacific depths

Underwater footage of reefs with plenty of rockfish, corals, sponges and basket stars will be taken during the expedition from March 7 to 14 in the fjords and straits of the central coast of British Columbia.

A submersible camera from the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans equipped with navigational instruments, high-resolution cameras and projectors will capture the goings-on at a depth of 200 meters below the ocean’s surface.

These images will be transmitted by satellite in real time to scientists aboard a Canadian Coast Guard research vessel, as well as to internet users through a link at the website protectoceans.ca.

Alexandra Cousteau, the granddaughter of famed oceans explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau will also provide narration and host behind-the-scenes videos for the expedition, which was organized by a partnership between the government, coastal indigenous tribes and oceans conservation groups.

Building on local indigenous people’s knowledge of the region — having for millennia managed the area’s marine resources that are crucial for their culture — the expedition will focus on sites “where almost no scientific exploration has occurred,” said a statement.

The expedition will also collect data that will help identify ecologically important areas for marine planning, and protecting vulnerable species and habitat — in support of Ottawa’s commitment to protect 10 percent of Canada’s oceans by 2020.