Museum hosts video of ocean floor
Ever wondered what life is really like at the bottom of New Zealand’s oceans?
Akaroa Museum has opened up a glimpse of the ocean floor that the public do not usually get to see, simply using a GoPro.
Through a partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC), the museum has released new footage of fish in Banks Peninsula waters.
DOC used baited underwater cameras to monitor fish in Banks Peninsula’s two marine reserves – Akaroa and Pohatu – over seven days in February 2017.
Thirty fish species were photographed during the project. Some included sharks over 2 metres long and eels as thick as human legs.
DOC marine ranger Tom MacTavish said it took nearly two years for the crew to take 75 hours of footage and cut it to 30 minutes for the museum.
After a trial run last Tuesday, the museum officially started running the video for visitors on Wednesday.
‘‘It was a unique opportunity to connect Canterbury people in the marine environment in a way they haven’t been connected before,’’ MacTavish said.
‘‘It’s known as a location where the water visibility isn’t very good. But having the cameras, we’re able to respond where there are clear waters.’’
The camera had a simple design, but captured some excellent footage, he said.
‘‘It’s an aluminium frame that you lower to the sea floor and at the bottom of the frame there’s a bait box. Then there’s a GoPro camera mounted above the bait, so anything that visits the bait is captured on video.’’
Museum director Lynda Wallace said the video would help visitors make sense of the area’s history.
‘‘The harbour has always been so important to the founding of Akaroa and its history in terms of its industries and occupations. For visitors to be able to have a look and see what’s under the water, it helps them connect to the history.’’
The video would be shown at the museum until at least the end of summer, Wallace said.
The project will also inform research at the University of Otago on fish activity.