From August 6 – September 8, 2023, 9 CSSF team members supported the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) aboard the R/V Isabu for the Western Pacific Seamount 2nd Exploration Expedition. The expedition was part of the ‘Selection of prospective mining area for cobalt-rich ferromanganese crust in western Pacific seamounts: 3D resource estimation and environmental impact evaluation’ project, funded by the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. An additional project that was conducted aboard the R/V Isabu, ‘Development of technology for designating and managing ocean conservation areas using AI deep learning’, was conducted by KIOST. Participants were largely from KIOST but included one representative from Inha University. KIOST’s objectives were to: 1) to select the first mining area, scheduled for 2026 and 2) to conduct environmental research as mandated by the International Seabed Authority. Work requiring the use of ROPOS included: collection of imagery, as well as collection of prospective mineral resources and biological samples on and around the selected seamounts.

On May 28, 2023, seven Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility team members assisted scientists from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region in the exploration of seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold seeps off the coast of Vancouver Island, work which was conducted aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship, the CCGS John P. Tully, as part of the Northeast Pacific Deep-sea Exploration Project (NEPDEP). Researchers from several institutions participated, including principal investigators, graduate students and professionals from the University of Victoria, Dalhousie University, Memorial University, the University of Gothenburg, the Hakai Institute, Ocean Networks Canada, the Royal British Columbia Museum, Natural Resources Canada, the GEOMAR Hemholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and Scripps Institute of Oceanography. ROPOS provided access to six unique habitats, the: Explorer Seamount (‘Spongetopia’ & ‘Coraltropolis’), Explorer Ridge Hydrothermal Vents (‘Recordbreaker’ & ‘Old Area’), Tuzo Wilson Seamount NEPDEP 58 Nursery, Winona Cold Seeps (‘Twins’ & ‘Blowout’), Deep NEPDEP 35 Seamount and Hesquiat Slope Cold Seeps. Highlights of our mission included: coming across a whale fall, capturing the birthing of a Pacific white skate (Bathyraja spinosissima) on video and a mother octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) fending off king crabs from her eggs.

Read more: NEPDEP 2023 Expedition

From March 18 – May 10, 2023, 6 CSSF team members supported the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), which works in partnership with the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The science team’s focus was to conduct research on the hydrothermal vents of the Central Indian Ridge. There were two main objectives for this expedition: 1) to understand the environmental characteristics of the hydrothermal vents and analyze the structure and function of the surrounding ecosystem, as well as 2) to investigate the characteristics of mineral resources formed by hydrothermal activity. The expedition focused on geology but also included some biology. Tasks that required ROPOS included collection of video footage along with biological and bedrock samples.

Read more: KIOST’s 2023 Indian Ocean Expedition