Marine Science Voyage I Exhibit, Sydney Aquarium - Sydney, Australia
S 33° 52.214 E 151° 12.140
56H E 333726 N 6250778
The Sydney Aquarium in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, has an exhibition about the 1990 Marine Science Voyage I Expedition to Antarctica to collect and bring back a selection of the fish of Antarctica.
Waymark Code: WM5ZNJ
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 03/08/2009
Views: 23
The exhibition panel includes the following text:
Antarctic Expedition - Heard Island
Fish and Antarctica
The extremely cold waters of Antarctica meet the more temperate waters of the world's Oceans at the "Convergence". Over 100 species of fish live in the waters south of or below the Convergence. In this unique exhibit the Sydney Aquarium is proud to present for the first time anywhere in the world "The Fish of Antarctica".
Marine Science Voyage I
In 1990 a scientist from the Sydney Aquarium travelled on the maiden voyage of the Australian Research Vessel, "Aurora Australis", to the Australian Antarctic Territory Island, Heard Island. The objective of this expedition was to bring back to Australia a World First; A selection of the "Fish of Antarctica". The journey was hazardous with massive seas and hurricane winds which combined with temperatures as low as -5 degrees C. This made conditions exceptionally difficult for collecting and transporting the fish.
How Can Fish Live in Ice-Cold Water?
South of the Convergence sea water temperatures range from -1.9 degrees C near the pole to 5 degrees C at the Convergence. The fish on display are in water at 3 degrees C -- just above freezing point. Fish that live below the Convergence have evolved differently from the rest of the fish of the world:
- having anti-freeze in their blood
- having reduced or no red blood cells in their gills
- being neutrally buoyant without a swim bladder
These complex physiological adaptions are unique to the "Fish of Antarctica".
Collection and Transport
The specimens on display were caught by hand-lines or trawling in the waters off Heard Island. Special techniques for transport were required as they spent over 30 days at sea on their journey from the Antarctic to Tasmania and then 8 hours flying from Hobart to Sydney. Specially designed boxes with inbuilt oxygen and filtration were used to transport the fish.
There appears to be only one surviving fish from the 1990 Marine Science Voyage I. It is a Marbled Rockcod (Notothenia rossii). Note the condensation on the outer surface of the tank's glass due to the coldness of the water.
