MAJOR GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM PROJECT LAUNCHED IN TERRITORIES

The world’s first network of underwater camera rigs is being rolled out across the British Overseas Territories.

According to the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office(FCDO), the ocean wildlife and diverse ecosystems of the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) will soon be more visible than ever thanks to pioneering work to establish a major network of underwater camera deployments.

The project is funded as part of the British government’s Blue Belt programme.

Scientists from Cefas, the University of Western Australia and partners in the UKOTs are working with Blue Abacus, in the first-ever global initiative to supply and analyse the data collected from 66 non-intrusive stereo-Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS), which will be deployed in open ocean and coastal habitats.

Together these BRUVS will form the Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis Network, which will provide information on ocean biodiversity and ecosystems found in the vast maritime and coastal areas of the UKOTs in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern Ocean.

The UKOTs involved in the project are: Anguilla, Ascension Island, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha.

BRUVS will enable researchers to see below the surface and provide a benchmark of scientific understanding of the marine species within their maritime area, allowing the UKOTs to take more informed decisions about protecting and managing these diverse ecosystems.