Scuba Diving on British Columbia's Sponge Reefs
1,535 views · Published 22 January 2015 · 2:45 · Indexed 10 November 2026
Channel: Vancouver Aquarium · 2015 · Education
Glass sponge reefs are unlike anything else in the world. These fragile bioherms can reach 14 meters in height and cover a square kilometer, providing an important habitat for the fish that live in them. Until about twenty-five years ago, people believed that glass sponge reefs had gone extinct during the Jurassic Period, but then they were discovered living in very deep water in Hecate Strait in northern British Columbia. During the last fifteen years, diving biologists have discovered several of these ancient glass sponge reefs at locations in Howe Sound where the depths are shallow enough to be safe for divers using compressed air. Expert sport divers can safely get to these reefs located between 25 to 35 meters in depth, and the opinion amongst the diving community is that the public needs to become much more aware of these reefs if there is to be any chance of them being considered for protective management to ensure their future. Learn more: http://www.aquablog.ca/2014/08/glass-castles-on-the-seabed/
