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Sustainable Seas Submersible Project

The Sustainable Seas Project was a five year study of natural resources in our National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS). The project is jointly funded by the National Geographic Society, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A $5,000,000 grant for the study was donated by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund.

The project will employ Nuytco Inc. "Deepworker 2000" submersibles to

1. make the first systematic exploration of NMS sites;
2. establish intersite marine research protocols and permanent NMS underwater field stations;
3. acquire archival quality photographic records of the natural history of the NMS sites;
4. create a forum for the transfer of data to policymakers, scientists, and the public; and
5. develop national and international visibility for marine sanctuaries.

USGS Nearshore Benthic Habitat maps will be used to locate dive sites in the Channel Islands NMS. The dive observations will, in turn, be useful for improving the accuracy of the maps which are interpretations of sidescan sonar data.

• Submersible Pilot Training photos and diary.
• 1999 Channel Island NMS diving and sidescan data collection.
• National Geographic Site
• Diver Magazine article about Deepworker Submersible
• PDF copy of the Sustainable Seas Issue of Alolkoy (The publication of the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary Foundation.)