After a three-year break, we embarked on an exhilarating expedition, deploying the deep-sea robot “Yona” (a remotely operated vehicle, ROV) in Israel’s exclusive economic waters—60 km off the Tel Aviv coast—within the Palmahim Disturbance, a designated marine protected area.
This fascinating scientific mission brought together top experts—researchers, marine engineers, and leading professionals—in a unique collaboration between the Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, University of Haifa, Weizmann Institute of Science, Ariel University, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
Led by Prof. Yizhaq Makovsky and Dr. Maxim Rubin-Blum, we sailed from Haifa Port for five captivating days, deploying our ROV to a depth of 1,150 meters. Operated by our skilled team, the underwater robot, equipped with state-of-the-art cameras and a robotic arm, captured remarkable findings.
The results? Absolutely thrilling! We successfully collected rare samples, made amazing observations, and deployed settlement devices to monitor ecosystem health and animal recruitment.
These include:
Extreme scenes of brine flow and gas emissions, reminding of other planets.
· Samples from the highly saline deep-sea brine pools—extreme “lakes within the sea”, hosting organisms adapted to extreme salinity and dissolved poisonous gases, such as hydrogen sulfide.
· Rich and fascinating marine life – tubeworms, mollusks, sea urchins, deep-sea fish, and zooplankton swarms. Vast microbial biofilms and carious obscure organisms.
· Deep-sea sharks and a myriad of shark eggs – most with alive embryos.
· Carbonate rocks, inhabited by diverse fauna and microbiota.
· Rarely studied seep biota, including zooplankton, fungi and protists.
· ARMS settlement devices, now improved to ensure better settlement – placed within the framework of the Redress Project, aimed at restoring degraded deep-sea ecosystems.
· Many more discoveries that will enhance our understanding of the Mediterranean’s deep-sea ecosystem.
What does it take to pull off an ROV expedition?
A research vessel, a skilled and diverse crew—including the captain and the crew of R/V Bat-Galim, marine operations and logistics teams, a dedicated chief cook, expert ROV operators, scientists, marine engineers, and more. Also, extensive preparations and great weather!
This expedition marks a new chapter in Israel’s deep-sea research, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the country’s leading research and conservation organizations.
Proud to be part of this groundbreaking research team!
