IPMA tests underwater camera system
2025-12-19 (IPMA)
The Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, I.P. (IPMA) has recently acquired a deep-water telemetry underwater camera system (rated to 4,000 metres) from Subsea Technology & Rentals (STR), known as the Sea Spyder Deep Water. This system also includes an electric winch (STR SeaTow 6000), equipped with a drum capable of holding 6,000 m of 11.4 mm cable. The winch is fitted with a 5,000 m, 14.15 mm coaxial tow cable. The system is designed to study deep-sea environments, specifically to observe and record high-resolution video and images of the seabed in real time.
This equipment is required for the identification and monitoring of deep-water habitats and Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), with the aim of studying and characterising the types of habitats found along the Portuguese coast, particularly in the areas covered by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614 of 15 September 2022. This regulation aims to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems and to guide sustainable deep-sea fishing practices within the European Union, ensuring that fishing activities do not cause significant adverse impacts on these sensitive habitats. In addition to these studies, the equipment will be used to support the development of management and monitoring plans for Oceanic Marine Protected Areas, which are of great importance for Portugal to achieve the 30×30 target, an international commitment to protect at least 30% of the planet’s terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, aligned with the implementation of the National Network of Marine Protected Areas (RNAMP).
Accordingly, acceptance tests of this equipment were carried out on board the research vessel NI “Mário Ruivo” on 17 and 18 December 2025, with the participation of technicians and researchers from IPMA, Vórtice-Equipamentos Científicos, Lda., and STR.
Through this initiative, Portugal takes a decisive step in contributing to global ocean monitoring efforts, strengthening national scientific and operational capacity for the observation and monitoring of the marine environment. This information is essential, for example, to understand the global framework of marine biodiversity, to establish a scientific basis for management decisions, to support sustainable fisheries management, to comply with legal and international obligations, to enhance knowledge and valuation of natural heritage, and to assess Good Environmental Status (GES).
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