Scientists from the University of Tasmania have used a custom Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) from Boxfish Robotics to capture underwater footage from Beagle Marine Park, located in the Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania.
The footage will premiere on the Marine and Coastal Hub YouTube channel on Wednesday, 19 November at 7 pm AEDT.
Filmed during a research voyage in August last year, the six-minute feature showcases the ROV’s journey through challenging offshore conditions, revealing colourful sponge gardens, fish schools, sharks, and scenes of above-water operations.
The expedition was led by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), which used the ROV to conduct a monitoring survey across 50 transects within the protected area to study local habitats and biodiversity.
Beagle Marine Park forms part of Australia’s national network of marine protected areas and was once part of the land bridge connecting Victoria and Tasmania. The research was supported by the Australian Government through the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) and the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
The Boxfish ROV’s ability to deliver stable, high-resolution footage in rough sea conditions provides researchers with unprecedented insight into remote underwater ecosystems.
Viewers can set a reminder and join the Boxfish ROV footage premiere on YouTube here.
