Positioning Canada as a Leader of Ocean Observatories

Cabled ocean observatories are transforming ocean research and our understanding of the marine environment. The knowledge we gain will help shape public policy, spur economic development and enrich public education in Canada and around the world.

The primary mandate of VENUS and NEPTUNE Canada is to provide access to new tools for Canadian researchers. The real-time access to ocean data in a pan-Canadian collaborative framework is unprecedented. The discoveries will be unparalleled and exploration will belong to all participants. On-line exposure of that exploration brings high visibility. The challenges attract highly qualified personnel. New research shared with the public—who can also explore the data products—breaks down barriers in understanding. Public policy benefits in the regulatory, conservation, exploitation and transportation sectors. Public information on potential and behavior of natural catastrophes grows. Anthropogenic impacts on sensitive habitats can be assessed: noise pollution, chemical effluents, marine mammal behavioural changes, and oxygen depletion are examples.