A high resolution camera system, called the SVII camera, mounted on an underwater scooter will allow researchers at the University of Queensland to survey large portions of Filipino reefs more precisely than ever before.  The Seaview SVII Cameras were developed by the Catlin Seaview Survey team, to document a reefs health.

The researchers will survey reefs within the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in the Philippines. Located at the heart of the Coral Triangle, these reefs are spectacular examples of underwater biodiversity. The reefs, however, are under grave threat due to over fishing, climate change and pollution. The Catlin Seaview Survey is a project of the University of Queensland Global Change institute with a goal of creating a record of the Worlds Coral Reefs, to help understand the issues affecting them and allow a reef’s health to be compared and studied over time. The Catlin Seaview Survey states it mission on its website, “To scientifically record the world’s coral reefs and reveal them to all in high-resolution, 360-degree panoramic vision.” The scientific data collected will be available in the Catlin Global Reef Record, a free online research tool available on their website. MORE

Source: The University of Queensland News