CSUMB diving into new research
A group of local students and instructors are doing something that’s never been done before; exploring a submarine canyon just off the coast of Carmel.
Cal State University Monterey Bay is in charge of this new exploration that will research the habitat right in between the shallow and deep-sea areas of the Monterey Bay.
“Today we’re diving right at the edge of a submarine canyon, it’s called the Carmel Canyon, and it’s an extension of the large Monterey Canyon that many people know about,” said CSUMB Director of the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, James Lindholm.
But in case you don’t know what the Monterey Canyon is, it’s the largest underwater canyon along our west coast, with canyon walls measuring a mile in height from top to bottom.
“We’ve used ROV’s to start from the base of the canyon, several thousand feet down, following it all the way up to the shallowest part behind me,” said Lindholm.
Before today, researchers could only explore the greater depths with remote-controlled vehicles or shallow diving trips.
“So we have prepped a team to dive relatively deep, we’ll be down 130 feet, to weekly collect data using a stereo/video system, so we can count fish, measure them, identify them, and then look at how the changed in the community happen from week to week over the course of the year,” said Lindholm.
It’s the first time a weekly data collection will occur in a close-to-home area where two worlds collide.
“Normally when you’re shallow you see a particular set of fishes, and then when you’re down deep it’s a whole different set, and what we’re seeing here is a mix of the two, so we’re seeing some of the shallow fish down deep, and we’re seeing some of the deep fish shallow. So I’ve seen three deep water fishes for the first time on scuba which is really exciting,” said Lindholm.
It’s an important step for research today and in the future.
“Not only are we collecting date, but we’re also training a cohort of students who will be diving for their careers. We are training the next generation of professionals who will work in California’s marine environment,” said Lindholm.
Another positive is the ability to monitor ocean health, an important aspect in a time where officials believe global warming is changing ecosystems everywhere.
“The key from our vantage point is that there is foundation for optimism, but that optimism is founded in facts, so we’re trying to produce the facts that allow us and help us to be optimistic,” said Lindholm.
Cal State Monterey Bay says that if their research with this project proves to be successful, there are other areas they want to explore around the central coast. But seeing as this is a relatively new study, that could take some time.
