Researchers will use a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to capture video and still images of seafloor communities from 20- to 500-meters depth along the North Coast, with an emphasis on characterizing species and habitat features within mid-depth rock, soft-bottom subtidal and deep ecosystems. These ecosystems sustain some of the state’s vibrant commercial and recreational fisheries. The images collected along these "visual strip transects" will be used to identify and count fishes and macroinvertebrates and document physical features of the seafloor. They will also provide a permanent archival record of sea floor communities that can be used for a variety of purposes, in addition to baseline analyses, such as public education or future reanalysis using refined techniques. Follow this project on Twitter.
Rick Starr