EAF-Nansen Programme
1 february 2018
Kick-off and release!
After a short 'cheat-survey' between Cape Town and Durban, the official start of the 2018 research expeditions with Dr. Fridtjof Nansen was marked with a grand reception in Durban, South Africa. The event took place onboard Dr Fridtjof Nansen on the 26th of January, and discussed the current situation of local and international fisheries, and the importance of multi-disciplinary research and cross-boundary partnerships in addressing pressing challenges such as marine pollution and climate change.
On the guest list were a number of prominent guests including Senzeni Zokwana, the South African Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Trine Skymoen, the Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa. The visitors were given a guided tour of the technologically advanced research vessel.
The most important guests who were welcomed onboard Dr. Fridtjof Nansen that day however, were probably five young Leatherback turtles (Caretta caretta). The turtles were found stranded 18 months ago and have since been in recovery with the uShaka Sea World's conservation team. They were now declared sufficiently rehabilitated to be released back into the ocean, and as the research expedition's first planned transect line was in an area deemed suitable for release, the turtles were left in the care of the onboard scientific team.
After 15 hours of overnight steaming the release point was finally reached. With both scientists and crew present to cheer them on, the turtles were lowered one by one into the sea in a basket from the trawl deck. Free and back in their natural environment, they immediately dived down and disappeared into the blue. Having completed the days most important task of giving five little turtles another chance at life, we're now hard at work collecting equally important multi-disciplinary data to better understand the biodiversity and oceanic conditions in the environment in which these five wonderful creatures will continue living their life.
1 february 2018
Kick-off and release!
After a short 'cheat-survey' between Cape Town and Durban, the official start of the 2018 research expeditions with Dr. Fridtjof Nansen was marked with a grand reception in Durban, South Africa. The event took place onboard Dr Fridtjof Nansen on the 26th of January, and discussed the current situation of local and international fisheries, and the importance of multi-disciplinary research and cross-boundary partnerships in addressing pressing challenges such as marine pollution and climate change.
On the guest list were a number of prominent guests including Senzeni Zokwana, the South African Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Trine Skymoen, the Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa. The visitors were given a guided tour of the technologically advanced research vessel.
The most important guests who were welcomed onboard Dr. Fridtjof Nansen that day however, were probably five young Leatherback turtles (Caretta caretta). The turtles were found stranded 18 months ago and have since been in recovery with the uShaka Sea World's conservation team. They were now declared sufficiently rehabilitated to be released back into the ocean, and as the research expedition's first planned transect line was in an area deemed suitable for release, the turtles were left in the care of the onboard scientific team.
After 15 hours of overnight steaming the release point was finally reached. With both scientists and crew present to cheer them on, the turtles were lowered one by one into the sea in a basket from the trawl deck. Free and back in their natural environment, they immediately dived down and disappeared into the blue. Having completed the days most important task of giving five little turtles another chance at life, we're now hard at work collecting equally important multi-disciplinary data to better understand the biodiversity and oceanic conditions in the environment in which these five wonderful creatures will continue living their life.