Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem detected via deep technical divers off Doumer Island, Palmer Archipelago, Western Antarctic Peninsula (Subarea 48.1) - data

Photoquadrat transects were conducted by Under The Pole’s team of deep technical divers using closed circuit rebreathers operating from the sailing vessel Why. Approximately 40 photographs of a 0.75 × 0.75 m quadrat were collected at depths of 6, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 m along 80 m transects using a Nikon D810 camera in a Nauticam housing with Keldan strobes.

The photoquadrat imagery at 80 m was analysed to determine the relative percentage cover of VME indicator taxa, non-VME taxa and bare substrate using the software PAPARA(ZZ)I. An array of 100 random points was overlaid on each image and each point was classified as VME indicator taxa, non-VME taxa or bare substrate. The resulting relative percent abundance data were analysed using the same methodology applied to VMEs added to CCAMLR’s registry in 2018, 2022 and 2024, enabling direct comparison with previously designated Antarctic VMEs.