Canadian government announces $46.5 million for deep-sea research

The federal government is investing more than $46 million over the next five years to explore and protect Canada's oceans.

Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray says understanding of the marine environment is "relatively meagre" because oceans cover 70 percent of the Earth's surface.

Speaking at a news conference at the International Marine Protected Areas Congress in Vancouver, Murray said the investment will give Canada a clearer picture of how ecosystems are changing and how resources can be managed sustainably.

The funding will come from the government's $3.5-billion Ocean Protection Plan.

Kate Moran, CEO of the University of Victoria's Ocean Networks Canada, says the $46.5 million will be used to collect deep-sea data for scientific research, government decision-making and support Canada's ocean industries.