00:00To discover the ocean's secrets, you have to dive deep.
00:05Researchers from the Conservation Organization Under the Pole
00:08are exploring a transitional area in the Arctic's icy waters.
00:12Thanks to deep-diving rebreathers, they can travel up to 130 meters deep
00:17to discover the little-studied but highly important mesophotic zone.
00:23Understanding how these ecosystems function,
00:25their connectivity with shallow water ecosystems
00:28and their specific diversity is really important
00:31in order to establish marine protected areas or conservation zones
00:35that are suited to the unique nature of these ecosystems.
00:39Particularly vulnerable are krill.
00:42The tiny crustaceans sustain Antarctica's fragile ecosystem
00:46as the base of the food chain.
00:48However, they face increasing threats from industrial fishing,
00:51which uses krill for pet food and dietary supplements.
00:54Without establishing official protections,
00:56the researchers warn that the Southern Ocean is in danger.
01:01We're on the verge of a catastrophe.
01:03This is a time to put strong protection measures in place.
01:07That doesn't mean banning everything.
01:08It means removing the intense pressure in areas
01:11where animals depend on krill to survive.
01:14One researcher framed protocols for the ocean
01:17as being part of a larger puzzle.
01:19In learning more about the in-between ecosystems,
01:21they are trying to fill in the missing pieces.
01:24There is.
01:24There is.
01:25There is an arrow in the South.
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