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Channel Islands NMS Questions

First Name (School Name.): In regards to habitat, what are the three most important questions this mission hopes to answer?

Dr. Guy Cochrane, geophysicist, USGS and Donna Schroeder, marine ichtyologist, UCSB Marine Science Institute: The three questions we hope to answer are: What are the deep-water habitats in the Sanctuary? What animals are found in these habitats? What proportion of these habitats are we protecting in reserves?

First Name (School Name.): What was the most exciting experience that you have had while exploring the 0cean and its habitats?

Guy Cochrane: The first deep submersible dive I piloted. The seafloor was so steep that I couldn't see the bottom as I descended.

Donna Schroeder: Interacting with manta rays and other larger elasmobranches.

Sarah Fangman, research coordinator, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary: It is so exciting to have Blue Whales surrounding us on the MAC and to put an ROV on the bottom and to see where Blue Whales are going.

First Name (School Name.): Have you found anything unexpected to date?

Guy Cochrane: There is a lot more sandy seafloor than I expected around the Channel Islands, away from the mainland river sources of sand. Is it left over from Ice Age low sea levels.

Donna Schroeder: The large number of By-The-Wind sailors (Vellela vellela) and pelagic red crabs we observed at sea.

Sarah Fangman: The west channel off San Miguel Island is an extremely difficult place to work because of winds and seas. However for our cruise, the conditions have been pleasantly mild with calm seas, clear skies and sunny days.

First Name (School Name.): How do weather patterns effect deep water habitats?

Donna Schroeder: Weather patterns can affect deep-water habitats directly by changing salinity-temperature patterns, or indirectly, by changing sedimentation rates.

First Name (School Name.): What types of deep sea creatures do you expect to see, or have you seen during this mission?

Donna Schroeder: I expect to see six-gill sharks, torpedo rays, giant octopus, ratfish, hagfish, brittlestars, basket stars, crinoids, rockfishes, krill, squid, giant anemones, sponges, crabs. So far we've observed krill, squid and brittle stars.

First Name (School Name.): How long has the ROV technology been around?

Vince Gerwe, lead ROV technician with ROV operations in Port Hueneme: Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) have been around since the early 1970s. At that time oil companies were interested in developing “unmanned” submersible operations to service oil platforms. By the early 1980s, ROVs started gaining popularity with marine researchers interested in deep ocean exploration.

First Name (School Name.): How deep are ROVs capable of going? Will there be any sites that deep that you investigate?

Vince Gerwe: ROVs have been used in places like the Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean to depths of around 30,000 feet .

Guy Cochrane and Donna Schroeder: Our phantom ROV can go 2000 feet.

First Name (School Name.): How will sanctuaries use the information and technology gained through this expedition?

Donna Schroeder: The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary will use habitat and marine life data to conserve, protect and restore marine resources.

Guy Cochrane: To better manage and protect the habitat and sea life that lives there.

Sarah Fangman: Some of the areas we are exploring with the ROV are being considered as a marine protected areas.

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