Developing an Underwater Video Annotation Methodology for Coastal Communities in Ocean Networks Canada's Oceans 3.0

High-resolution underwater cabled cameras provide a significant opportunity for species richness and diversity studies. They offer a less invasive methodology and provide substantial data for statistical analysis. Many of Ocean Networks Canada's coastal community observatories are equipped with underwater video cameras. These observatories are designed and customized in consultation with local leaders in whose territories they operate, providing a localized system for year-round continuous, real-time ocean monitoring. This paper proposes an underwater video annotation methodology for Ocean Networks Canada's coastal community observatories. The proposed approach establishes a standardized method for marine species identification and data ingestion. Through open data, technology, and the adoption of a standardized database, individuals can actively contribute to the analysis of video data from these observatories, facilitating the quantification of species numbers and their taxonomy. This research can also be applied in educational initiatives, offering an immersive avenue for the public to explore and understand their surrounding ecosystems while encouraging participation in citizen science.