EnviroKids 38 Marine & Blue Flag Summer 2017

The coelacanth is a very special fish that has lived in our oceans since before the time of dinosaurs. Scientists thought that these fish were e[tinct until one was caught off (ast London in 1 . In 2 , the discovery of a population of coelacanths off Sodwana %ay sparked a new research What else might we discover in our oceans?

programme, the African &oelacanth (cosystem 3rogramme A&(3 . Today A&(3 scientists use lots of cool eTuipment to study deeper parts of the ocean.

© ACEP Spatial Solutions Project (Carpenter reef); © Peter Timm (coelacanth)

These beautiful and fragile lace corals were photographed by 529. Such coral gardens are sensitive habitats that need protection from cable laying, mining, trawling and other ocean industries. © ACEP Imida Project

)ish eggs note their eyes in the arms of a soft coral. &orals provide shelter for baby fish. © ACEP Deep Secrets Project

This Tuirky looking pink frogmouth was seen in its natural habitat for the first time during 529 surveys in 2 16. © ACEP Spatial Solutions Project

This spider crab, photographed by 529 at a depth of 2 metres, lives on muddy slopes on South Africa¶s east coast. © ACEP Spatial Solutions Project

Kerry Sink is a marine scientist at the South African 1ational %iodiversity Institute SA1%I . Ryan Palmer is a 529 pilot for the African &oelacanth (cosystem 3rogramme A&(3 .

EnviroKids Vol. 38(4), Summer 2017 13

Words Kerry Sink & Ryan Palmer