'Hidden' reef found by documentary makers

SEA FAN REEF DISCOVERED BY TEAM PART OF SERIES BY SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

- By ATHWENNA Irons

CONSERVATIONISTS in Plymouth are celebrating the discovery of a 'hidden but vulnerable' marine habitat - sparking fresh calls for 'global conversations' over protecting our oceans.

The Marine Biological Association (MBA) says in an "extraordinary moment of chance" during the production of Ocean with David Attenborough, a "vibrant and exceptionally well-preserved" pink sea fan reef was found off the South West coast.

The reef, described by the charity as a "little sanctuary", showcases a flourishing underwater habitat that had remained hidden until now.

It was uncovered during a collaborative research project between Dr Bryce Stewart, senior research fellow at the MBA, and filmmakers from Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios. After initially discovering the reef by chance with drop down cameras, divers descended onto the reef to film it in high definition.

Through a further collaboration with the underwater robotics company PicSea, the reef was then mapped in 3-D using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

Dr Stewart said: "This pink sea fan reef is a stunning and significant find, a little sanctuary. These delicate corals grow incredibly slowly and support a rich variety of marine life. Discovering this habitat intact gives us both an urgent reason and a rare opportunity to act now to protect it for future generations."

The undisturbed habitat, teeming with marine life, was discovered while the team was preparing to film scenes of the seafloor for Ocean, a new feature-length documentary special which was released in May this year.