Marine monitoring is the bedrock of ensuring the health of our oceans and marine life, as it enables the collection of data to understand the biogeochemical processes that drive coastal and ocean systems. There is growing recognition of the importance of marine environment monitoring at the regional scale in safeguarding our shared waters. Data collected could help guide the development of legislation and strategies aimed at protecting our oceans and marine ecosystems.
Advancing marine science research and education
To advance collaboration in marine science research, the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and the NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September 2024, which outlines a framework for collaboration and sharing of knowledge in marine and climate science research and education between the two institutions. As part of the MoU, PML will collaborate with NUS TMSI, as well as the St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML) hosted by TMSI, for various marine science research projects.
To kickstart this partnership, SJINML and the Marine Environment Sensing Network (MESN), with support from the British High Commission Singapore and the Conservation Artists Collective, organised the “Marine Monitoring for Action: Safeguarding our Shared Seas through Marine Environment Sensing and Data” workshop which was held in Singapore from 7 to 11 October 2024. The partnership was formally announced at the workshop.
This partnership builds on the long-standing collaboration between Singapore and the UK dating back to the 1950s, which Mr Nikesh Mehta, the British High Commissioner for Singapore, reflected during his welcome address at the workshop. Mr Mehta explained that continuing this historical collaboration is significant in emphasising the importance of global collaboration in marine science research and education.
“As part of the UK and Singapore’s strategic partnership, we are committed to strengthening even further our science and technology partnership, to go further than we did by developing capabilities to address global issues and challenges,” he added.
The workshop drew more than 65 participants from the region and beyond, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, and the UK, all working towards a common goal of fostering collaboration and innovation in marine monitoring to protect our oceans and marine ecosystems for the benefit of future generations.
Professor Yaacob Ibrahim, Chairman of the SJINML Governing Board, in his opening remarks, also highlighted the importance of establishing global partnerships. “Marine issues cannot therefore be managed by one country to safeguard our shared seas. Close collaboration, sharing of knowledge, expertise and data are essential,” he said.
The Marine Monitoring for Action workshop is endorsed by the UNESCO International Oceanographic Commission as a UN Ocean Decade workshop.
A science-based approach for future oil spill response
Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, delivered the opening remarks on the second day of the workshop. He emphasised the need for data in shaping policy to protect marine environments. “To ensure the sustainability of our marine biodiversity and its ecosystem, it is crucial that we adopt a science-based approach to monitor and protect our regional waters. Only with science and data can we make a strong case for conservation,” he said.
Mr Lee also announced a 15-month national monitoring plan, as a response to a recent oil spill incident in Singapore that took place in June 2024, to collect baseline data and monitor the impact and recovery of marine habitats after the oil spill. The research team will comprise experts from NParks, NUS TMSI, SJINML and the National Institute of Education.
Dr Tan Koh Siang, Principal Research Fellow at NUS TMSI, who is part of the research team said, “We are interested to see what effects this oil spill has on [organism] communities that are not visually obvious.” He added that the team hopes that their research can provide science-based support in finding ways to respond to future oil spills.
Assisting in the marine monitoring efforts is the MESN buoy, a system that enables real-time monitoring of seawater quality to strengthen climate change and ecological research. The MESN buoy houses a resident suite of sensors and modules for round-the-clock marine monitoring, and aims to collect data of over 30 parameters through near real-time sensing and monthly cruises.
Dr Jani Tanzil, Senior Research Fellow at NUS TMSI and Facility Director of SJINML, added that there are plans to deploy two more MESN buoys, one in the Johor Strait off Pulau Ubin and another in the south Singapore Strait, off Raffles Lighthouse (Pulau Satumu). This will help to expand marine monitoring capabilities and capture the quality of water flushing into Singapore.
The science essential for the ocean we envision
With a schedule packed with talks from marine scientists and hands-on opportunities, the workshop outlined how effective marine monitoring at various levels can help shape marine management and policies, as well as drive the implementation of national, regional, and international legislations and initiatives to protect the marine environment.
Professor Matthew Frost, Head of International Office at PML, highlighted during his presentation that global policies and actions to protect the ocean and marine life “would only work with data and scientific information feeding into it.”
The workshop also provided a platform for participants from across the region to take part in practical sessions to develop skills and acquire the tools needed to obtain rigorous and scientifically credible marine data. During the workshop, the participants actively engaged in discussions about current practices and challenges in marine monitoring, and explored opportunities for collaborative impact-led research for Southeast Asian regional seas.
“The Marine Monitoring for Action workshop was a great opportunity for regional and international stakeholders to harmonise and understand the good practices of marine monitoring in Southeast Asia,” said Dr Wee Hin Boo, Senior Lecturer from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, who attended the workshop.
Participants were also given a tour of the SJINML facility on St John’s Island, which is located approximately 6.5km to the south of the main island of Singapore. During the visit, the MESN team, which include researchers from both NUS and NTU, introduced the different techniques used in marine environment sensing.
“My biggest takeaway from the workshop is learning about the theory of change and the process of developing actionable solutions starting from the impact that we want to make,” said Ms Denise Yu, Research Assistant at NUS TMSI.
The Marine Monitoring for Action workshop helped to foster an environment of mutual learning and exchange of ideas between countries, fuelling future possibilities of regional collaborative research efforts to help protect our shared oceans.
“Armed with the data and knowledge from marine monitoring, we can better position ourselves to be more resilient to the challenges ahead, especially with the uncertainty of climate change and other environmental disturbances from increasing coastal urbanisation,” said Dr Tanzil.
This article was originally published on the website of the National University of Singapore.