Coelacanth dive proves a success

A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has been used for the first time to film coelacanths as part of research on the prehistoric fish in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal.

The latest coelacanth expedition, which ended on Sunday, filmed a record eight coelacanths during one dive.

The success of trial tests for the ROV has also opened up possibilities for new marine research in the wetlands park, and make such research accessible to others, said park CEO Andrew Zaloumis.

During this expedition, the fourth in the park, a local Mabibi community member was invited to be part of the group which watched live footage of coelacanths transmitted by the ROV to the support vessel 110m above.

The African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP), formed after the discovery of coelacanths in 2000 by a group of recreational divers at a depth of 104m in Jesser Canyon off Sodwana Bay, recently partnered the Durban-based Subtech Diving and Marine to test an ROV for the study of coelacanths in their canyon habitats.

These have now proved entirely successful, more cost-effective and less invasive than using a mini-submersible.

Zaloumis said that after shallow water system tests, the ROV, hired from Cape Town Marine Solutions, had been used to penetrate a cave in Jesser Canyon where a small coelacanth was filmed on the first day. Eight more coelacanths were found on May 6 at depths between 104 and 112m. He said previous attempts to use an ROV in the Comoros Islands and in Indonesia had been unsuccessful.

Marine scientist Jean Harris, the ecological advice co-ordinator for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, who was part of the team led by Dr Kerry Sink of ACEP, said the coelacanths had been undisturbed by the ROV and none of them had moved away.

"Some of the coelacanths have been previously sighted, but preliminary results suggest that some are new animals that will increase the known numbers of these prehistoric fish in the wetlands park."

During the trials, the first footage of other deepwater habitats was also captured, including deep ledges, rocky outcrops and extensive dune fields.

Zaloumis said this world first "underlines our long commitment to natural science research on which more than 100 current projects in South Africa's first World Heritage Site are mainly focused".

The goal now was to facilitate an increase in social, economic, cultural and historical research.

Source: www.iol.co.za