Findings and Recommendations: Looking Ahead

New Technologies

Findings

• Relatively new technologies such as hyperbaric use of NITROX, HELIOX, new diving tables, diving computers, and multiple tethered diving have now entered the academic diving community. Additionally, both manned submersibles (including One Man Atmospheric Diving Systems: OMADS) and unmanned (Remote Operated Vehicles: ROV, and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles: AUV) technologies are extending our subsea horizons.
• Regulatory mechanisms appropriate for hyperbaric exposure exist, but while satisfactory for classical diving techniques, they must now address emergent innovations.
• Issues to be dealt with include availability of access to vehicles and resources, handling technical complexities, and training of scientist participants.

Recommendations

• UNOLS should establish a standing committee (i.e., the In-Situ Science Committee: ISSC), composed of competent, interested, and involved parties including vessel operators, academic and commercial submersible operators, scientists, Diving Safety Officers, organizational representatives (e.g., UNOLS/RVOC, AAUS) and representatives from interested Federal agencies (e.g., NSF, NOAA, ONR, Department of the Interior, Department of Energy). The committee should deal with issues such as the establishment of standards for operating, contracting, safety and insurance, coordinating and scheduling, and shared use as well as provide advice to agencies. This recommendation (establishment of the ISSC) is similar to one of the UNOLS Submersible Science Study's (S3 ) recommendations.
• The ISSC is visualized as occupying a position comparable to the Research Vessel Operators Committee (RVOC) and the Fleet Improvement Committee (FIC) and should encompass the current ALVIN Review Committee (ARC) in addition to newly established interest groups dealing with submersibles (other than ALVIN), OMADs, ROVs, and AUVS. Two mechanisms that could be employed in the structuring of this committee (apart from the ARC component) are: (1) appoint a large ISSC whose members are divided into functional groups to address identified problems; or (2) create a smaller standing ISSC which would convene ad hoc panels of outside experts to deal with specific issues.

Future Needs and Projects

Findings

• Since 1977 the AAUS has been the national body representing the U.S. Scientific Diving Community. However, no formal links exist between AAUS and UNOLS /RVOC despite commonality of interest and congruity of membership.
• AAUS has the expertise to provide services to UNOLS/RVOC in the diving information, standards, statistics, reciprocity, expert assistance, and representation as well as a forum for resolving research diving issues.

Recommendations

• UNOLS/RVOC should utilize the AAUS to provide consultation and advice research diving issues. In support of this utilization UNOLS/RVOC and AAUS should establish formal and consistent links to assure such benefits as cross- representation at significant meetings, cross-reporting in newsletters and, importantly, cross-convening of joint issue topical conferences such as this workshop.
• As a way of supplying technical links and in consonance with the report of the Diving Safety Officers of the UNOLS institutions should form a sub-committee under the proposes In Situ Science Sub-Committee(ISSC).
• The AAUS Board of Directors should establish a committee within the AAUS composed of the UNOLS Diving Officers.
• UNOLS and its member institutions should pursue, through the AAUS, agreement with NOAA concerning the reciprocal recognition of each other's research diver credentials.
• The peer review of science proposals involving research diving should include the best available (e.g., a Diving Officer from a UNOLS institution) review of diving operational safety and feasibility considerations.
• Statistics should be kept by UNOLS concerning diving from vessels in the academic fleet. Copies of institutional diving logs from all cruises should provided by the Chief Scientist as part of the normal Post-Cruise Report to UNOLS.
• The diving-related portion of the UNOLS research vessel inspections should be enhanced. This review should concentrate on the diving equipment and the ship equipment (i.e., small boats and motors) as well as procedures for use and access to accident-response equipment.
• All UNOLS member institutions who either conduct scientific diving or whose ships are used for research diving cruises should be Organizational Members of the AAUS.
• Methodologies should be developed for divers whose institutions do not have formal scientific diving programs in order that they may fulfill certification requirements when they need to participate in UNOLS cruises.