From June to September 2024, the research vessel (R/V) Dr. Fridtjof Nansen cruised the waters of Angola and Namibia to investigate transboundary pelagic resources and ecosystems off the coast of southwest Africa. The survey, conducted in the Benguela Current Convention (BCC) region, welcomed a mix of researchers and experts from various countries to collaborate on studying the marine environment and advancing knowledge on key pelagic species.
The primary focus of the survey was on the regional distribution of important pelagic species, such as horse mackerel, sardine, and anchovy. However, the research extended beyond pelagic resources to include broader ecosystem studies.
“Although this was a pelagic resources survey, we also looked at other aspects of the marine ecosystem, including oceanography and plankton,” explained Victor Miti Libuku, a senior researcher from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Namibia, and one of the participants in the survey.
The survey in Angolan waters coincided with the upwelling period, a key phase for marine productivity, and studies on different aspects, including research on the early life stages of fish, took place.
“The Angolan coastal area is a fascinating tropical marine environment, where nutrient-rich deeper waters rise to the surface along the coastline, due to coastally trapped waves,” said Stamatina Isari, a researcher from the Institute of Marine Research in Norway (IMR), and the plankton team leader during the Angolan survey.
“This region is especially important for studying the early life stages of fish, as the abundant food supply and ideal conditions support the growth and development of many fish species, and the data we gathered will be valuable for further research in the region,” she added.
Plankton sampling was a significant part of the survey, especially in the northern part of Angola, between N’Zeto and Ambriz. In this area, researchers observed significant spawning activity during Leg 3.1a and therefore, revisited the area a second time during Leg 3.1b to increase the knowledge on the fascinating upwelling mechanism and the life of early life history stages of fish.
“We use nets with different mesh sizes to collect a large variety of plankton samples, allowing us to investigate the distribution of phytoplankton, mesozooplankton and ichthyoplankton,” explained Sónia Silva Bento, a researcher at the National Fisheries Research Institute in Angola (Instituto Nacional de Investigação Pesqueira), and one of the plankton scientists involved.
Off the coast of Namibia, researchers analyzed population dynamics of key species, emphasizing the regional coverage of pelagic resources across the shelf and upper slope.
The data and information collected throughout the survey will play a crucial role in informing fisheries assessments and management decisions in both Angola and Namibia, significantly benefiting efforts to ensure sustainable fisheries management in the BCC region.
About the Programme
The R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen is at the center of the EAF-Nansen Programme, a longstanding partnership between the FAO and Norway, executed in close collaboration with IMR. In collaboration with 32 countries across Africa and the Bay of Bengal, the Programme is improving fisheries policies and management practices in line with the ecosystem approach to fisheries and developing the capacity of fisheries institutions to ensure sustainable fisheries management.
The Programme aligns with the objectives of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, as well as FAO’s vision for the Blue Transformation of aquatic food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all.
Read more about the other surveys in 2024:
- Studying transboundary demersal fisheries along Africa’s northwest coast
- Research Vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen Advances Sustainable Fisheries in Ghana
The EAF-Nansen Programme is an endorsed Ocean Decade Action. Find out more here.
This article was originally published on the website of the EAF-Nansen Programme.