NEPTUNE Canada

Some of the world's most productive bio-zones are found in the mid-latitudes along continental west coasts, where prevailing winds and ocean currents combine to lift deep-sea water toward the surface. Upwelling nutrients support a rich and diverse profusion of marine life. One such area exists off southwestern Vancouver Island. This region plays a critical role in the life cycles of several important fish stocks, including Pacific salmon.

NEPTUNE Canada's seafloor sensor array and vertical water column profiler at the continental shelf break and slope will help us observe oceanic conditions and their variations as never before. Our acoustic and optical sensors will open an unprecedented real-time window to a wide range of physical, chemical and biological processes in the water column. Over time, we will also be able to monitor their evolution related to climate change.