The CFI-B.C. funding investment will help the University of Victoria (UVic) develop the world's largest cable-linked seafloor observatory off North America's west coast.

Information gained through the North-East Pacific Time-series Undersea Networked Experiments, or the NEPTUNE Project, will lead to earlier warning of earthquakes and tsunamis, more accurate estimates of commercial fish stocks and improved models for climate prediction. NEPTUNE is a joint U.S.-Canada venture led by UVic in Canada and the University of Washington in the U.S.

"NEPTUNE is an opportunity for Canadian universities, led by the University of Victoria, to develop marine science and technology that will help to fill the gaps in our scientific knowledge of the waters off North America's west coast," said David Anderson, Canada's Minister of the Environment. "This project has been many years in development. I am pleased today to see it finally come to fruition."

"By investing in this project, we are advancing B.C.'s position as a world leader in science and technology," said Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia. "Since June 2001, B.C. has committed over $900 million to enhance post-secondary research and access. This leading-edge project will help further the economic development of B.C.'s offshore resources and strengthen the sustainability of our fisheries and ocean environment."

"NEPTUNE's goals are very ambitious and very important scientifically," said Dr. David Strangway, President and CEO of CFI. "The CFI's investment in NEPTUNE's infrastructure has the potential to transform areas of geological and marine science by radically improving the nature, quality, and quantity of data that can be made available to scientists."

Traditional methods of ocean exploration use ship
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Contact: Valerie Shore
vshore@uvic.ca
250-721-7641
University of Victoria
17-Oct-2003