We dive to foster ocean conservation
across the world
To make the invisible visible
Founded in 2008 by Emmanuelle and Ghislain Périé‑Bardout, Under The Pole was born from a shared passion for underwater exploration. Trained in polar expeditions by French explorer Jean‑Louis Étienne, they have made diving in extreme environments a unique tool to push the boundaries of ocean knowledge.
While the depths of the oceans remain largely unexplored and threatened, even as they harbor vital ecosystems, Under The Pole is actively working to conserve the oceans and its living habitats. Guided by values of impact and collaboration, Under The Pole teams have been developing awareness‑raising programs and advocacy efforts aimed at decision‑makers, with the clear goal of contributing to the preservation of ocean biodiversity worldwide.
« If global warming seems like a distant future to us, Ocean ecosystems are already feeling its burning and damaging impact. »
Our actions
PIONEERING EXPEDITIONS
Internationally recognized for its expertise in polar and deep‑sea diving, Under The Pole organizes complex scientific expeditions around the world with its sailing vessel, the WHY. Its innovative approach revolves around working closely with renowned scientific organizations and the ability to mobilize unprecedented resources to operate in unexplored ocean territories. Through its deep‑sea expeditions, Under The Pole provides researchers worldwide with vital data on the survival of corals and marine species in the ocean’s mesophotic zone, to help protect and conserve living ecosystems.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Under The Pole applies its expertise to support researchers from around the world. All of its expeditions aim to collect ambitious scientific data to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge in the mesophotic zone (30–200m).
SHARE & RAISE AWARENESS
Under The Pole draws on its field experience, local insights, and scientific research to carry out outreach and awareness‑raising activities for young people and the general public, sharing the latest discoveries and encouraging active participation in protecting the Ocean.
PRESERVE THE OCEAN
Alongside its outreach activities, Under The Pole draws on the scientific findings from its research‑driven expeditions to carry out advocacy work aimed at promoting the implementation of conservation policies to protect the Ocean.
deeplife
DEEPLIFE is a research and exploration program led by Under The Pole, in collaboration with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and an international consortium of scientists.
Recognized as an official project of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), the program aims to better understand and protect marine animal forests ‑ which are remarkably rich ecosystems made up of corals, gorgonians and sponges in the mesophotic zone (30 to 200 meters deep).
Still largely unknown and underexplored, the mesophotic zone is nevertheless essential : the ecosystems it hosts may play a crucial role in sustaining marine biodiversity in a context marked by increasing human‑led activities and climate change.
Our latest publications
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Our Impact
The depths of the oceans remain largely unexplored and under threat, and yet they harbor ecosystems that are essential to the Earth’s balance :
- 450km² of coralligenous habitats safeguarded in Fourni, Greece.
- +25scientific publications from the expeditions.
- 1 000students engaged every month
- 1international resolution adopted to protect biodiversity
- 1 groundbreaking record with a mesophotic coral sampled at ‑174 m