2014 Global Underwater Discovery

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2014 Global Underwater Discovery The oceans make up 70% of the Earth's surface, yet our knowledge of the biodiversity and functioning of marine ecosystems is relatively

A new relationship between Brownies Global Logistics, Global Underwater Explorers and Project Baseline facilitates access to reefs and marine structures within the seldom

1 2014 Global Underwater Discovery The oceans make up 70% of the Earth's surface, yet our knowledge of the biodiversity and functioning of marine ecosystems is relatively scarce. A new relationship between Brownies Global Logistics, Global Underwater Explorers and Project Baseline facilitates access to reefs and marine structures within the seldom documented and often difficult to reach range between 30 and 300 meters. Through this understanding, we come together to make informed and responsible decisions about how we inhabit this earth now and into the future. P r o j e c t B a s e l i n e G l o b a l U n d e r w a t e r E x p l o r e r s B r o w n i e s G l o b a l L o g i s t i c s

2 Vision We leverage our unique resources to establish environmental baseline conditions in the world s underwater environments. It is through this exploration, documentation, and information sharing that we address the universal challenges placed upon our water by working on a local scale. Mission Project Baseline empowers passionate citizens to observe and record change within the world s aquatic environments in a way that fosters public awareness and supports political action. There are enormous challenges posed by scientific research in high-seas and deep-seas, both due to the high costs of the necessary means (ship, crew, instruments, man or unmanned submersibles, among others) and the technological limitations that restrict scientist s access to critical study areas. Overarching Goals At a time when the pressure of human activities upon marine ecosystems is increasing, it is essential to gather baseline information worldwide which will enable assessing future natural cycles and anthropogenic impacts on these communities. Document the health and vitality of the world's underwater environments Increase public awareness of the health and threat to the world's underwater environments Facilitate political action that improves and protects the health of the world's underwater environments Rationale The oceans make up for 70% of the Earth s surface, with an average depth of 3,700 meters. If we exclude coastal areas, our knowledge of the biodiversity and functioning of marine ecosystems is relatively scarce. Despite recent progress, up to this date less than 1% of the ocean s floor was studied scientifically. There is still a seemingly impossible amount of discovery to unveil about the organisms that populate our oceans. Now is the time to gather baseline data at locations already impacted as well as the pristine. Through this deeper understanding, we come together to make informed and responsible decisions about how we inhabit this earth now and in perpetuity. projectbaseline.org globalunderwaterexplorers.org globalsubdive.com

Who We Are At the outset of 2014, Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) teamed with Brownies Global Logistics to carry Project Baseline to new depths through the integration of technical divers and

GUE is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the exploration and conservation of the underwater world.

all manner of underwater environments including deep reefs, flooded caves, lakes, and lost ship wrecks.

Our work focuses on developing citizen-scientist scuba divers to systematically document underwater environmental conditions in the local areas that they regularly dive and then to engage with

3 Who We Are At the outset of 2014, Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) teamed with Brownies Global Logistics to carry Project Baseline to new depths through the integration of technical divers and submersibles aboard the 50m Baseline Explorer expedition vessel. A trans-atlantic and Mediterranean expedition was sponsored by Brownies Global Logistics throughout the spring, summer and fall. GUE is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the exploration and conservation of the underwater world. Over the past 15 years they have trained and organized some of the world s most capable and accomplished divers into a global network of teams, present in 54 countries, that are regularly exploring all manner of underwater environments including deep reefs, flooded caves, lakes, and lost ship wrecks. In 2009, GUE established Project Baseline, focusing their global teams upon the task of documenting baseline environmental conditions around the world. Our work focuses on developing citizen-scientist scuba divers to systematically document underwater environmental conditions in the local areas that they regularly dive and then to engage with conservation and research organizations to share their observations. This is the primary goal of Project Baseline. This new relationship between Brownies Global Logistics, GUE and Project Baseline facilitates access to reefs and marine structures within the poorly documented range between 30m and 300m. Founders Robert M. Carmichael Jarrod Jablonski Dr. Todd R. Kincaid Founder, Brownies Global Logistics Co-Founder, Halcyon Manufacturing Board Member, Global Underwater Explorers Submersible Pilot Founder and CEO, Global Underwater Explorers, and Extreme Exposure Co-Founder, Halcyon Manufacturing Board Member, Global Underwater Explorers Chief Scientists and Director, Project Baseline Managing Member, GeoHydros, LLC

Focal Areas Coastal and Deep Sea to 300m Documented and Under-documented/Undocumented Terrain Impacted Environments Pristine Environments Who

4 Focal Areas Coastal and Deep Sea to 300m Documented and Under-documented/Undocumented Terrain Impacted Environments Pristine Environments Who We Reach Grassroots volunteer Project Baseline teams and surrounding communities Environmental Research Entities Environmental Regulatory Agencies

Assets Brownies Global Logistics and Global Underwater Explorers provide Advanced Mobile Technical Diving and Research Support Open Ocean Dive Support Vessels Hosts all equipment required to support

5 Assets Brownies Global Logistics and Global Underwater Explorers provide Advanced Mobile Technical Diving and Research Support Open Ocean Dive Support Vessels Hosts all equipment required to support advanced technical research dives for SCUBA and Submersibles (breathing gas, compressors, decompression chamber, twenty ton man-rated crane, all repairs and maintenance performed onsite), sleeping accommodations, meals, and temporary lab space Advanced Technical SCUBA Diving Dive capabilities include support for standard scuba operations above 30 meters with extended duration SCUBA operations down to meters Manned Submersibles Observations from two submersibles down to 300 meters Tenders (Support Vessels) Access to four variable sized tenders for diver support, landfall, and safety and micro-transportation operations

2014 Collaborators Institute of Marine Research and the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries of the University of the Azores- IMAR/DOP-UAç University of the Algarve - CCMR Harbor Branch

research: sample collection, video and photographic transect, species and/or landscape surveys, and direct observations Carried ten researchers to the sea floor at depths between 60m 300m to make

6 2014 Collaborators Institute of Marine Research and the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries of the University of the Azores- IMAR/DOP-UAç University of the Algarve - CCMR Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida 2014 Accomplishments Leverage our diving and submersible capabilities to assist our network of global Project Baseline teams and research entities with marine research: sample collection, video and photographic transect, species and/or landscape surveys, and direct observations Carried ten researchers to the sea floor at depths between 60m 300m to make first-hand observations of their study areas Help to draw meaningful focus to global aquatic issues through television, web and newspaper interviews in four countries More than 500 hard coral, soft coral and algae samples collected Video transect sects collected at depths between 15m 90m parsed into individual segments for species and terrain surveys Discovered and recovered thirteen ancient cultural artifacts in the Mediterranean Sea Support Project Baseline s fiscal sponsor, GUE, is a not for profit 501(c) 3 organization which is largely dependent on membership and donations. Brownies Global Logistics is thankful for the generous contributions from each donor who makes these unique investigations of underwater environments possible. Supporting Brownies Global Logistics in 2015 and beyond ensures documentation of typically inaccessible underwater environments that foster our understanding of this valuable resource BGL Publication Authors: Dr. Pedro Ribeiro, Joana Ruela Boavida, Dr. Todd R. Kincaid, Vanessa L. Belz

What is Project Baseline?

What is Project Baseline? A global network of highly skilled and organized SCUBA divers who are creating a lasting visual legacy of underwater conditions in oceans, lakes, rivers, springs, and caves all