Nekton mission to explore Seychelles’ waters to study Indian Ocean’s ecosystem

The deep ocean around the Seychelles islands will be explored as part of a bigger expedition to study and better understand the Indian Ocean’s ecosystem. The mission led by Nekton Deep Ocean Research Institute is expected to take place in March.

According to the Seychelles' permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Ronny Jumeau, such research is vital to helping the island nation understand its vast ocean territory, which spreads across 1.4 million square kilometres.

“Seychelles aims to become a leader in the development of a 'blue economy' that draws on the resources of the ocean. The archipelago relies on fishing and tourism, but has lately also been exploring the possibility of extracting oil and gas from beneath the sea floor,” explained Jumeau.

The former environment minister said that "key to this is knowing not only what you have in the ocean around you, but where it is and what is its value," adding "it is only when you know this that you can properly decide what to exploit and what to protect and leave untouched."

The news of the exploration was reported by ABC News on Thursday and Your Subsea News 10 days ago. The articles said scientists and researchers are leaving Bremerhaven, Germany this week on board the Ocean Zephyr for their travel to the Indian Ocean.

It was reported that the Nekton mission is to explore the Indian Ocean and document changes taking place beneath the waves that could affect 2.5 billion people in the surrounding region over the coming decades.

The Indian Ocean, a vast body of water that's already feeling the effects of global warming, is considered as one of the last major unexplored frontiers on the planet. 

The three-year survey will also contribute to a summit on the state of the Indian Ocean planned for late 2021.

The Nekton Mission, supported by over 40 organisations, will spend seven weeks surveying underwater life, map the sea floor and drop sensors to depths of up to 2,000 meters in the seas around the Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean.

"Research expeditions such as the Nekton Mission are therefore vital to help us fill those gaps and better know our ocean space and marine resources to make wise decisions in planning the future of our blue economy," Jumeau said.

The island nation of fewer than 100,000 people is already feeling the effects of climate change, with rising water temperatures bleaching its coral reefs.

"Our ocean is undergoing rapid ecological transformation by human activities," said Callum Roberts, a marine conservation biologist at the University of York, England, who is a trustee of the mission.

"Seychelles is a critical beacon and bellwether for marine conservation in the Indian Ocean and globally," he said.

Bibby HydroMap - experts in the acquisition, interpretation and presentation of highly accurate and precisely positioned seabed and sub-seabed data - will be providing hydrographic Surveyor for the exploration.  The mission's principal scientist, Lucy Woodall of Oxford University, said the researchers expect to discover dozens of new species, from corals and sponges to larger creatures like types of dog sharks.

“We are delighted to be offered the chance to collaborate with Nekton on such an exciting, scientific research programme. It has presented us with a wonderful opportunity for a member of staff to participate and demonstrate what Bibby HydroMap can offer in the global arena and we look forward to getting started and sharing updates on the progress of the mission,” said Mick Slater, operations director.

The principal secretary for environment in the Seychelles’ Ministry of Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Alain Decomarmond, told SNA that the ministry is in discussion with the researchers. “Currently we are working on a cabinet paper to better inform the Seychelles Cabinet of Ministers on the positive outcomes of the exploration,” said Decomarmond.

The Associated Press is accompanying the expedition and will provide live underwater video from the dives, using new optical transmission technology to send footage from the submarines to the ship and from there, by satellite, to the world.

Forrás: www.seychellesnewsagency.com
Megosztás
GACOR77 CAIR77 ADMIN77 DP96 RUPIAH138 RECEH88 RECEH88 MANTUL138 MANTUL138 PASUKAN88 PASUKAN88 BOBO77 BAYAR77 BAYAR77 GARUDA69 RUPIAH138 GCR77 TANGO77 GACOR77 GACOR77 MODUS99 LORD88 GOCAP123 GACOR96 ODIN77 PARGOY88 PARGOY88 MAXWIN138 MAXWIN138 MAXWIN138 POLASLOT138 EPICWIN138 DISKO69 NGASO77 WIBU69 BESTI69 DINO69 BOSSWIN168 BOSSWIN168 RECEH69 MEWAHBET MEWAH99 FOYA88 SAWER138 PUAS69 MIDAS77 MIDAS77 SIP69 SIP69 MODUS99 MODUS99 GCR77 MASTER38 MABAR69 LOTUS138 LOTUS138 COCOL88 BARON69 DINASTI168 ZONA69 NOBAR69 RONIN86 STARLING69
MASTER38 MASTER38 MASTER38 MASTER38 BOSSWIN168 BOSSWIN168 BOSSWIN168 BOSSWIN168 BOSSWIN168 COCOL88 COCOL88 COCOL88 COCOL88 MABAR69 MABAR69 MABAR69 MABAR69 MABAR69 MABAR69 MABAR69 MAHJONG69 MAHJONG69 MAHJONG69 MAHJONG69 RONIN86 RONIN86 RONIN86 RONIN86 RONIN86 RONIN86 RONIN86 RONIN86 ZONA69 ZONA69 ZONA69 NOBAR69 ROYAL38 ROYAL38 ROYAL38 ROYAL38 ROYAL38 ROYAL38 ROYAL38 ROYAL38
SLOT GACOR HARI INI SLOT GACOR HARI INI