This week’s Image of the Week features a sponge reef on Fraser Ridge. During initial cable route surveys, VENUS examined this area near Vancouver at 165m depth. We directed the cable lay away from this area.
Similar “globally unique” reefs, in Hecate Strait, are now an Area of Interest for a marine protected area as announced on Oceans Day 2010. Established by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Marine Protected Areas “protect and conserve important fish and marine mammal habitats, endangered marine species, unique features and areas of high biological productivity or biodiversity.”
Click here for the announcement at Fisheries and Oceans Canada: “Area of Interest for Potential Marine Protected Area in Pacific Region” (June 2010).
The announcement was also covered by the Globe and Mail, click here for the article “Move to protect B.C.’s glass sponge reefs”.
View more from the sponge reef on Fraser Ridge in our Feature Galleries.
