OCEAN SCIENCES Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 31 to June 6 2019

This supplement features the discussions, research, and solutions emanating from two major international ocean sciences conference held at Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, in March this year, namely the Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIO-E2) and the South Africa–Norway Research Co-operation on Blue Economy, Change, the Environment and (SANOCEAN).

Mouth of the Sundays River Estuary, Eastern Cape. Photo: Dr Tor F. Næsje. Collective Ocean Action Professor Sibongile Muthwa our understanding and enable informed decision-making. e have reached the hour The second conference was Sanocean, the when we need to know South Africa-Norway Research Co-operation what is being done to con- on Blue Economy, , the serve our oceans and to Environment and Sustainable Energy. The ensure that the so-called long-term programmes in this partnership Wblue economy is sustainably developed. To enhance the knowledge base for policies and achieve this we need new modes of thought decisions for sustainable development in the and novel solutions that engage all our com- areas of oceans and ocean space (the blue munities, locally and globally, and address economy), environment (with emphasis on poverty and inequality. oceans and pollution), climate change and sus- As we know, the oceans cover 70% of our tainable energy in South Africa and Norway. planet and are a critical source of oxygen, Nelson Mandela University is positioning food, marine resources, employment, and sub- itself as the hub for ocean sciences in Africa sistence. We have lost more than 40% of the and the Western Indian Ocean: https:// biodiversity in the ocean in the past 40 years, oceansciences.mandela.ac.za/. As a coastal and the latest International Panel on Climate university we partner with the national Change report shows that since the 1970s and international marine and maritime about 93% of the excess heat from green- research community. British high commis- house gas emissions has been absorbed by the sioner Nigel Casey and Norwegian ambas- oceans. At the same time the oceans are under sador Astrid Helle are good friends of Nelson Reception area of the Ocean Sciences Campus, Nelson Mandela University. Photos: Supplied pressure from unsus- Mandela University and tainable resource extrac- attended the respective tion. This is a crisis call Solutions for the conferences. ocean research, innovation and sustainable for collective action. Our countries partner industry for the blue economy. What is encouraging is conservation on several key marine We are also positioning ourselves as that a growing network and sustainable and maritime pro- a maritime hub. Last year the Faculty of outstanding research grammes and research of Engineering, Built Environment and and innovation initia- development of the chairs that are discussed Information Technology (EBEIT) launched a tives in South Africa, the oceans are urgently in this publication, as Marine Engineering degree, and this year we continent and interna- required are our collaborations launched our Marine Robotics Unit. https:// tionally are collaborat- with other coastal coun- ebeit.mandela.ac.za/ ing to better understand tries in Africa and glob- We welcome the United Nations declaration this vast body of water ally, other South African of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable and to implement solutions for its conserva- universities, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Development from 2021 to 2030. It will hope- tion and sustainable development. government and key industry players. fully be the largest driver ever to protect the Contributing to this, two pivotal interna- Our faculties and dedicated Ocean Sciences oceans, address ocean warming, use the space tional ocean sciences conferences were held at Campus (the first of its kind in South Africa) sustainably, and bridge science, policy and Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth offer a range of qualifications and pro- practice. in March this year. grammes to support ocean sciences develop- With South Africa’s coastline spanning The first of these was the Second ment, conservation and a sustainable, well- about 3 000km, bordered by three oceans — International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIO- managed blue economy. the Atlantic, Southern and Indian oceans E2). Hosted for the first time in Africa, the Our Faculty of Law’s FishFORCE pro- — we are perfectly placed to contribute to conference brought together partners from gramme works closely with Norway in com- and benefit from the much-anticipated “blue throughout the world, including the major batting the major problem of organised decade”. ocean sciences nations. IIO-E2 is the single fisheries crime https://law.mandela.ac.za/. largest effort to study the Indian Ocean in a The university collaborates with several Professor Sibongile Muthwa is vice chancellor transdisciplinary manner, in order to advance Norwegian universities and institutions on of Nelson Mandela University

Professor Sibongile Muthwa is vice chan- cellor of Nelson Mandela Univerty. Photos: Supplied 2 Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 Ocean Sciences No single nation has the capacity

Heather Dugmore

he reality is that no single nation has the resources, capacity or mandate to under- take all of the research and effort needed to resolve the ‘Tquestions and issues facing our oceans, par- ticularly the least researched Indian Ocean,” said Dr Nick D’Adamo at the Second Interna- tional Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2) con- ference held at Nelson Mandela University in March this year. D’Adamo is head of the Perth Programme Office of Unesco’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and direc- tor of the Australian node of the IIOE-2 joint project office. The IIOE-2’s mission state- ment is “to advance our understanding of the Indian Ocean and its role in the Earth System in order to enable informed decisions in support of sustainable development and the wellbeing of humankind”. Countries worldwide urgently need to join forces to resolve the global warming and sus- tainability issues affecting the entire Indian Ocean — a region with a population of over three billion. This includes researching the ocean’s structure and currents and address- ing its warming, changing anatomy, increas- ing acidification, the stress on its fisheries, changes in its oxygen levels, rapid increases in industrial usage, including marine min- ing, prospecting and much more. Dr Nick D’Adamo, director of the Australian node of the IIOE-2 joint project office. Photo: Supplied A gateway ocean D’Adamo explained the Indian Ocean’s global UN Decade of Ocean Science earth role. “It’s a pathway ocean for global This collective action is a key goal of the flows, and a gateway ocean that plays a piv- ‘The oceans are a global savings account from which United Nations Decade of Ocean Science otal role in the great ocean ‘conveyor belt’. for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), The Indian Ocean’s surface temperature idi- we keep making only withdrawals’ coordinated by Unesco’s Intergovernmental osyncrasies have a profound effect on weather Oceanographic Commission. patterns, which affect countries far and wide, One of the largest ocean science focuses including China, Japan, the whole of Africa, decline and our oceans are changing faster dependence on the Indian Ocean and blue in history, it will enhance and even trans- northern and western Asia, and the Pacific.” than we have ever seen before.” economy of so many countries, including form elements of oceanography as a driver He added that the Indian Ocean has become “The oceans are our ‘natural capital’ — a South Africa, which has large stakes in the to bring together nations to understand and an increasingly important transport route global savings account from which we keep Indian Ocean, and how countries need to protect the oceans, and to use their space for trade and geopolitical reasons, and many making only withdrawals,” said Brad Ack, increase the emphasis in developing a com- sustainably, bridging science and policy. For more countries are bringing their scientific senior vice president for oceans at WWF. prehensive conservation, marine spatial the first time, the global ocean community interest to bear on the Indian Ocean because “To continue this pattern leads to one planning and economic strategy. will collaborate in planning the next 10 years of these geopolitically strategic imperatives. place: bankruptcy. It is time for significant “Collective ocean observations and in ocean science and technology in order to reinvestment and protection of this global research is essential to predict the conse- deliver “the ocean we need for the future we Ocean’s GDP is at least US$2.4-trillion commons.” quences of climate change, and to design want”. A 2015 Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) mitigation strategies for the oceans, which report states: “Goods and services from Big stakes in the Indian Ocean play an overarching role in what happens to For more information: ioc.unesco.org. coastal and marine environments amount D’Adamo elaborated on the underplayed the planet,” he added. https://en.unesco.org/ocean-decade to about $2.5-trillion each year – that would put the ocean as the seventh largest econ- omy in the world, if put into terms of Gross Domestic Product.” International Indian Ocean expedition But the report adds that these goods and services are dwindling fast: “More than two-thirds of the annual value of the global n the 1960s, Australia made a significant ocean relies on healthy conditions to main- contribution to the first International Indian tain its current output. However, habitat IOcean Expedition through repeated voyages destruction, overfishing, pollution, and cli- along the 110°East meridian in the southeast mate change are endangering this economic Indian Ocean. Now, nearly six decades later, engine and the security and livelihoods it a major voyage is underway to repeat this supports. Marine resources are in a rapid 110°East meridian line voyage as part of the second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2). The IIOE-2 conference brought “From May 13 to June 14 2019 a multi-institu- together the “Big Five” commit- tional team of 30 oceanographers from around tees that play a significant role the world will headed offshore from Fremantle in steering Indian ocean science on board the 93m Australian endeavours: Investigator. “We will be studying the ocean- ography of the southeast Indian Ocean,” said • IIOE-2 Steering Committee Lynnath Beckley, Professor of Marine Science at • Indian Ocean Global Ocean Observing Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, System (IOGOOS) who is originally from Port Elizabeth and an • Indian Ocean Observing System alumna of the University of Port Elizabeth, now (IndOOS) Nelson Mandela University. • Indian Ocean Research Programme Beckley is leading the multi-national study. (IORP) “We’ll travel about 6 500km from temper- • Sustained Indian Ocean ate areas through to the subtropics and trop- Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem ics, sampling a whole range of water masses, Prof Lynnath Beckley and Investigator. Photo: Supplied Research (SIBER) 550km away from the west Australian coast. “On the month-long voyage we will repeat the CREDITS 110°East line to examine multi-decadal changes the deep, dark waters where sunlight does about their ecology,” said Beckley. Head of Content: Supplements and in the physics, chemistry and biology of the not penetrate, but they rise towards the sur- This will be part of the research, as will all Commercial Projects Zamantungwa Khumalo water column, investigate microbes, biogeo- face waters at night to feed. They are highly sorts of other research missions such as con- Copy subeditor Derek Davey chemistry and nitrogen sources, and study the abundant and there are about 250 different ducting acoustic surveys of whales. Design & Layout Russel Benjamin & pelagic food web from plankton through to the species of them, with an estimated global The May/June 2019 RV Investigator voyage Lethabo Hlahatsi little-understood mesopelagic lantern fish. biomass of 10 000 million tonnes. They are can be tracked on Sales Mbali Kumalo [email protected] “Lantern fish are the ‘sardines’ of the open an extremely important component of the https://iioe-2.incois.gov.in/ website, where ocean. About 10cm in length, they occur in marine food web, but we know very little there will be updated news every day. Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 3 Ocean Sciences Big thinking, big science

Heather Dugmore What is Africa doing about its oceans? The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, extending up the eastern coast of Africa, has the most serious food security problem on the planet. It is estimated that 60 million people in the WIO region directly depend on the ocean for their livelihoods at a time when the indications are that the WIO is warm- ing faster than the world’s other oceans, which impacts all levels of the marine food web. Overfishing, destructive fishing prac- tices and high levels of pollution are caus- ing the WIO marine environment to dete- riorate further.

What is Africa doing to address this? “We are pursuing intensive research to understand and address the key questions of what sustains marine food security, what are the underpinning ecosystems and how do they function in this era of climate Prof Mike Roberts and ecoSUB - a new generation marine research robot. Photo: Supplied change and changing global oceans,” said marine specialist scientist Professor Mike resources, and quantified by end-to-end Roberts, who heads the South African ecosystem and socioeconomic modelling,” Research Chairs Initiative in Ocean said Roberts. “It further requires the devel- Science and Marine Food Security. opment and use of advanced — and costly Two major ocean sciences case studies “At the same time we are upscaling the — ocean-atmospheric computer models Through the South African Research Chairs Initiative Chair in Ocean Science number of South African, African and and big data facilities.” and Marine Food Security, Professor Roberts has secured R160-million from the international scientists, PhDs and postdoc- Because Africa does not have these ’s Global Challenges Research Fund SOLSTICE-WIO programme toral fellows pursuing pioneering ocean resources, Roberts’ chair has developed (Sustainable Oceans, Livelihoods and food Security Through Increased Capacity in sciences research in South Africa and the the Innovation Bridge-Regional Hub Ecosystem research in the Western Indian Ocean.) https://www.solstice-wio.org/ WIO region.” approach. It builds strong, formal partner- These funds are being used for case studies in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. Launched in May 2016, the chair ships between top institutions in Africa is jointly hosted by Nelson Mandela and top, well-resourced institutions in Case Study 1 University in Port Elizabeth, the University the global north. “Through this alliance,” of and the Southampton- Roberts explained, “we can increase south- based National Oceanography Centre — ern hemisphere research capacity and South African Squid Fishery Collapse 2013 the United Kingdom’s leading marine sci- critical mass to tackle developmental and Nelson Mandela University ence research and technology institutions. ocean science challenges that are equally researchers are investigating the challenging for northern institutions, as causes of the squid fishery collapse All the way up the food chain the Indian Ocean is the least researched in the Eastern Cape between 2013 Roberts and his team’s Western Indian and understood in the world.” and 2016, when 2 500 squid fisher- Ocean Upwelling Research Initiative The innovation bridge will have a contin- men lost their livelihoods, affect- is a flagship project of the Second uous flow of people and research between ing an estimated 35 000 family International Indian Ocean Expedition the global north and Africa, with regional dependants. (IIOE-2). projects extending from South Africa all Both the fishing industry and the Upwelling, he explains, is the upward the way up Africa’s eastern coastline. The department of agriculture, forestry movement of deep, cold, nutrient-rich Ocean Science Campus at Nelson Mandela and fisheries (DAFF) need to under- water to the ocean surface, encouraging University, in partnership with Rhodes stand what caused the collapse of the growth of phytoplankton (microplants University — which brings fisheries science the squid fishery, and if it could hap- which form the base of the marine food into the mix — forms the principal south- pen again. web), which ultimately provides energy all ern footprint of the bridge. In April this year a research team Ellen Khuzwayo, South Africa’s research ship. the way up to the top marine predators. As “Nelson Mandela University, with its from Nelson Mandela University’s the planet’s climate changes, so does the African partner institutions, is focusing Ocean Sciences Campus completed a two-week field study aboard the DAFF research ship ocean’s upwelling system, affecting marine on growing the postgraduate ocean sci- Ellen Kuzwayo. “It requires a formidable research effort involving ocean models, satellite food security in the WIO. ences pipeline to over 100 students, and observations, marine robotics, ship-based surveys and laboratory experiments,” said Roberts. we already have 50 master’s and PhD stu- “The data from the research still needs to be analysed, but the satellite observations and Transdisciplinary research dents registered,” said Roberts. A num- ocean models lead us to believe there has been a regime shift in the Agulhas Bank ecosystem approach ber of these postgraduate students have (a broad, shallow part of the southern African continental shelf), probably as result of climate “Researching this requires a transdisci- already spent time at the University change.” If this is the case, we need big models to help us anticipate future shifts and if or plinary approach, investigating physical of Southampton and the National when the squid fishery crash could happen again.” oceanography, biogeochemistry, plank- Oceanography Centre to acquire specialist ton, trophic ecology, fisheries and food technology skills. Case Study 2 East African Marine Ecosystems Together with our partner institutes The French Connection in Kenya and Tanzania and the UK In addition to the Africa-UK Innovation Bridge-Research Hub, an equally impor- National Oceanography Centre, we are tant innovation link is being built with leading French marine research institutions, busy with case studies on the north- notably the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) in Marseille and the western Indian Ocean, where there has Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO) in Brest. been limited scientific research,” said The first large ecosystem functioning research project with the French was on Roberts. This research will increase the Mozambique Channel. It looked at the impacts of mesoscale eddies on the understanding of how the marine Mozambican prawn fishery. Another research project is focused on a seamount ecosystems function in this region, 200km south of Madagascar. Seamounts, with their special shape and depth, are bio- how they are changing and how this is diversity hotspots. They attract top predators such as tuna, billfish and sharks near impacting the ocean food resources. their summits. 4 Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 Ocean Sciences FishFORCE Combatting fisheries organised crime

It should be addressed under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, with severe penalties of 25 years to life.

Heather Dugmore fraud, forgery, corruption, money-laundering and tax and customs evasion. These crimes rganised crime linked to the pose a significant challenge to fisheries law illegal harvesting, processing enforcement agencies across the world. and trading of fish and seafood “Fisheries law enforcement requires tra- Above: FishFORCE training on Fisheries Crime Law Enforcement in South and East Africa, is so huge globally that it is ditional policing methods and tools, and led by Professor Hennie van As and attended by Kenyan and South African officials and effectively a parallel economic expertise in law, criminology, police sci- universities. Osystem, undermining sustainable economic ence, as well as fisheries management and Below: FishFORCE training in Tanzania. The FishFORCE Academy is helping to build fisher- growth. conservation,” said FishFORCE chief opera- ies law enforcement capacity along the east coast of Africa. “Countries are being deprived of taxes; tions officer Michael de Lange. “The aim is citizens of jobs, food and income; and fisher- to achieve intelligence-led investigations and ies and environments are being destroyed. prosecutions of criminals engaged in fisher- Africa is particularly vulnerable and loses ies crime.” more than $20-billion per year,” said Professor Hennie van As, who presented 25 years to life FishFORCE’s multi-country programme Cases prosecuted as Illegal, Unreported, at the SANOCEAN (South Africa-Norway Unregulated (IIU) fishing have had very lim- Research Co-operation on Blue Economy, ited success, with penalties amounting to a Climate Change, the Environment and rap on the knuckles and being seen as “the Sustainable Energy) conference. cost of doing business” by culprits. Instead, An admitted advocate, Van As is director as Van As argued: “They should be addressed of the Centre for Law in Action, Professor under the Prevention of Organised Crime of Public Law at Nelson Mandela University Act, with severe penalties of 25 years to life. It and head of South Africa’s first Fisheries Law is encouraging to see that three recent major Enforcement Academy, FishFORCE. abalone racketeering cases have done this, Established in 2016 by Nelson Mandela with sentences of 18 to 20 years. University in partnership with the “Together with the National Prosecuting Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Authority (NPA), we are getting to the bot- South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, tom of why prosecutions for fisheries-related Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), FishFORCE crimes often fail,” continued Van As. “The works to equip enforcement agencies to han- regulating and policing of fisheries vessels dle the increasingly complex investigations in the past has been too compartmentalised and prosecutions of fisheries crime through- and full of loopholes because of the many dif- “FishFORCE is currently training fisheries marine living resources.” out Africa and the world. ferent players involved. We are now collabo- control officers, police officers and prosecu- The training developed and delivered by rating with the South African Police Service tors in South Africa and Kenya, where there FishFORCE provides formal qualifications, Buy-in from INTERPOL (SAPS), Defence Force, NPA and Home is already a FishFORCE academy. Others such as a Higher Certificate in Criminal FishFORCE has buy-in from the world’s Affairs to develop a combined offensive.” are being opened in Angola, Namibia, Justice and a Diploma in Law Enforcement. largest international police organisation, Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, These were specifically developed in order to Interpol, the African Union and the United FishFORCE research and training Mauritius and Seychelles,” said de Lange. professionalise the sector, promoting fisher- Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. A cornerstone of FishFORCE is to facilitate “We are also assisting with training along ies law enforcement as a career choice. Fisheries crime, or “multi-crimes” affecting research and innovation so that fisheries law the Indian Ocean Rim, including coun- the fisheries sector, range from illegal fish- enforcement officers have the most updated tries like Indonesia. Organised fisheries For more information visit FishFORCE ing to human trafficking and forced labour, information, techniques and tools available. crime knows know borders, and neither do http://fishforce.mandela.ac.za/

to understand why so many are still the islanders. Heritage being the cultural socially and politically marginalised. I also ‘gifts’ passed from one generation to the Indian wanted to know why their story had been next – songs, poetry, ritual practices and silenced for so long, what riches their com- languages. What I found was an incred- munities held and how I, also an islander, ibly rich world of aroma, sound, emotional was connected to other islanders in the expression and oratory. A world of alterna- Ocean region. tive ‘starting points’ for identity formation. “Since 1999, my work has focused on The work also revealed the extraordinary the identity, the political situation and creativity and resilience of Africans and Africa the rich intangible cultural heritage of their descendants.” Padima. Photo:Prof Rose Boswell. Perfume, politics and a rich A woman seaweed world of expression o understand the earth’s oceans, farmer called one must also understand the ‘Tpeople who inhabit coastal areas Padima and islands. This includes human use of lagoons, beaches and sea,” said Professor Padima is a mwani (seaweed) farmer. Rose Boswell, executive dean of Arts, She said that cultivating mwani is a dif- Nelson Mandela University, whose exhi- ficult, smelly job. The seaweed has to be bition of photos was titled Indian Ocean checked regularly, which involves many Africa. hours of labour, wading in the low tide “This was my first photographic exhibi- under the hot sun. Women carry up to tion and it consisted of images from my 10kg of mwani on their shoulders from anthropological field research in the south- the “plantation” to the beach. One kilo- west Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar, gramme of seaweed fetches about one Madagascar and to a lesser extent, US dollar. Women working hard can Mauritius,” said Boswell, who was born in make up to 50 dollars a week, which is Mauritius. significant for Zanzibaris — this is about “The historian Edward Alpers described 50 000 Tanzanian shillings. The seaweed the ocean off the east coast of Africa as is bought by Zanzibari middlemen, who ‘Indian Ocean Africa’. Yet for a very long sell it to Chinese merchants at the docks. time the story of this socially diverse The seaweed is used in anti-ageing and Indian Ocean region was not well known, health products in the West and in the and, to a large extent, one might argue, this East it is used in a wide array of culinary is still the case. dishes and as complementary medicine “My journey into the region began in for physical and spiritual balance. Mauritius in 1999. I wanted to follow the story of African descendants in Mauritius Maasai woman and man on the beach in Zanzibar. Photo:Prof Rose Boswell. Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 5 Ocean Sciences

Rendering of REV I, the largest, most advanced marine research platform in the world, cur- Triton: a three-person ocean research vessel with a diving depth of 2300m that will be rently being built. Photo: REV Ocean. used by researchers on REV I. Photo: REV Ocean

Heather Dugmore

hen completed in 2021, the $350-million REV l will World’s most advanced be the largest and most advanced marine research platform in the world. WREV I is part of REV Ocean https://revo- cean.org/, a new international marine ocean research vessel research initiative targeting climate change, acidification, marine pollution and the over- exploitation of marine resources with inno- 60 scientists and 30 crew. It will be equipped South Africa On Board entific campaigns organised by REV Ocean. vative ocean research and solutions. with scientific trawls, systems, a moon- Professor Asgeir Sørensen, director of the “There will be calls for participation on The initiative comprises three intercon- pool, underwater vehicles, advanced commu- Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations selected science topics, and an interna- nected platforms: the Research Expedition nication equipment, live streaming facilities, and Systems, in the Department of Marine tional group of independent experts headed Vessel (REV), the World Ocean Headquarters laboratories, classrooms and an auditorium. Technology at the Norwegian University by Dr Alex Rogers, REV Ocean’s science (WOH), and the Ocean Data Platform (ODP). Government leaders will be invited to of Science and Technology https://www. director, will evaluate the proposals and take part in dialogues and events on REV I ntnu.edu/amos gave a presentation on allocate ship time.” REV I to assist them in implementing effective REV Ocean at the SANOCEAN (South Rogers, formerly a professor of conserva- The first REV I research mission, in the last marine conservation policies in their home Africa-Norway Research Co-operation tion biology at the University of Oxford, has half of 2021, will be to Arctic Norway and countries. on Blue Economy, Climate Change, the spent over 25 years studying deep sea and Greenland. The WOH will be an incubator for the Environment and Sustainable Energy) coral reefs. His focus has been on marine International scientists, research insti- global ocean research community. The ODP conference. biodiversity and its drivers, and how to mit- tutes, and innovative thinkers will submit will be an open source platform. The aim is to He said: “Ocean sciences research univer- igate human impact on the oceans. proposals: if successful, they will have free foster better decision-making and more suc- sities like Nelson Mandela University and access to the vessel and its state of the art cessful conservation and utilisation of ocean other relevant stakeholders and organisa- Links to REV Ocean information and videos technology for at least three years. resources by improving availability, access tions in South Africa will be welcome to https://www.facebook.com/pg/OceanREV/ The 183m-long vessel will accommodate and analysis of global ocean data for all. submit proposals and participate in the sci- videos/?ref=page_internal

Democratising New marine robotics unit Marine Research Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) elson Mandela University has been in support of ocean sciences.” are essentially small unmanned robot chosen by the IIOE-2 to be the hub The MRU will also manage the deploy- submarines used for monitoring and Nfor marine robotics in a Western ment and operation of existing robotics research. AUVs are equipped with power- Indian Ocean (WIO)-wide research such as autonomous underwater vehicles ful electronics and artificial intelligence to network. (AUVs), subsurface ocean gliders, surface independently collect data using their on- In March 2019 Nelson Mandela wave gliders and ARGO floats. These plat- board sensors. University’s Faculty of Engineering, the forms can be deployed from small boats There are a wide range of AUVs but Built Environment and Information and remain at sea for anything from days they are expensive, ranging from £100K Technology (EBEIT) launched its trans- to months. The MRU will host and main- to £2M. “As battery and sensor technol- disciplinary Marine Robotics Unit (MRU). tain this equipment with dedicated Nelson ogy, and electronic equipment got smaller, The MRU’s engineering team is headed by Mandela University engineers, technolo- we saw an opening for smaller, far more Akshay Lakhani, Group Specialist: Systems gists and technicians. affordable versions of this technology,” and Control at eNtsa, a research and inno- says Terry Sloane, the co-owner and man- vation hub within the faculty. For more information: www.ecosub.uk, www. Akshay Lakhani aging director of Planet Ocean Ltd which “Our oceanographic researchers need planet-ocean.co.uk developed ecoSUB. “Our mission is to robotic technologies to collect in situ democratise the use of AUV technology ocean data both in the coastal and offshore because at the moment it is only available regions, and we need to develop innovative to wealthy institutions and we want to ways to assist robotic platforms to navigate change this. in unknown and difficult regional ocean “We applied for and won UK govern- environments,” Lakhani explains. ment funding and developed the ecoSUB, “Current methods of collecting ocean which enables the use of AUV technology sciences data using conventional ships, from a beach or jetty or from small boats. amongst other methods, are very expen- You can do excellent science and the ben- sive and few developing countries have the efit is they are very easy to use and one- resources to own and operate research ves- tenth of the price. The half-a- long sels. Marine robotics offer a much needed ecoSUB is around £10 000 and the one solution as they are relatively inexpensive metre version is about £20 000.” and easy to deploy, allowing our ocean sci- Larger AUVs can carry several sensors, entists and research units to operate at a whereas the ecoSUBs carry one or two sen- world-class level.” sors and scientists use a ‘shoal’ of them, each with different sensors to monitor Marine robots for our oceans anything from the salinity and dissolved “The MRU is collaborating with the oxygen in the water to the chemistry, pH, Norwegian University of Science and zooplankton, phytoplankton and sound. Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, The ecoSUBs can stay in the water from Norway https://folk.ntnu.no/assor/ in the a few hours to two days, and we are aim- development of new marine robotics and ing for 100 and 200 km for the smaller and deployment systems, specifically designed larger ecoSUBs respectively. The smaller for our oceans,” says Lakhani. “This ecoSUB currently goes down to 500m – the includes aerial platforms (i.e. drones), Boaty McBoatface - one of the National Oceanography Centre’s autosubs - a long range depth of most continental shelves – and specialised sensor development, and opti- autonomous vehicle that can travel for many kilometres and to great depths underwater, the larger one can go down to 2500m. mised data-capturing, storage and sharing gathering scientific data. Photo: National Oceanography Centre (NOC) 6 Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 Ocean Sciences Fish species overexploited or collapsed

No-take zones in estuaries may be the solution

By Dr Tor Næsje (Norwegian Institute along South Africa’s coastline, which serve for Nature Research) and Professor Paul both as critical nursery areas and provide fish- Cowley (South African Institute for Aquatic ing opportunities for subsistence and recrea- Biodiversity) tional fishing. Based on the over-exploitation and collapse of many of the fish stocks, they are or more than 100 000 years South in need of urgent management attention. Africa’s fish have been an important The important management questions are: food source for humans. Yet today, we where do the fish like to be in the estuary, and find ourselves in a position where the for how long; when do they leave the estuaries populations of prominent species such and go out to sea; and, do they utilise multiple Fas dusky kob, spotted grunter, white steenbras estuaries? It is also important to gain insights and leervis (garrick) are considered to be either on the coastal migrations of adults, to identify collapsed or over-exploited. spawning areas, and to know how and where Estuaries provide nursery areas for these spe- the fish are exploited, and by whom. cies and they continue to use them to a certain In 2002 researchers from the South African extent as adults. Dusky kob, for example, spend Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) and most of the nine years they take to mature in the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research the estuary, before they head out to sea, return- (Nina), led by Professor Paul Cowley and Dr Dr Amber Childs and Professor Paul Cowley surgically implanting a transmitter in a juve- ing occasionally in adulthood. In ideal condi- Tor Næsje, and officials from South Africa and nile dusky kob in the Sundays Estuary. Photo: Dr Tor F. Næsje tions, dusky kob live to about 50 years. Norway met and subsequently established a joint-financed research programme. One of the 250 estuaries along SA’s coastline criteria of the South African-Norwegian part- in science, and approximately 75% of the Estuarine Protected Areas. To remedy this, There are more than 250 sheltered estuaries nership is increasing the presence of women researchers are female. Godfrey Padare, a master’s student from the Department of and Entomology at the Following fish University of Fort Hare researched whether Acoustic telemetry is used to study fish behav- partial estuarine area protection in the form of iour, area use and migrations. By attaching a no-take zones can reduce the vulnerability of sound transmitter with unique signals to fish, the spotted grunter. the researchers are able to detect their wherea- In this study, 14 spotted grunter were tagged bouts and behaviour with acoustic receivers. with acoustic transmitters and monitored for Receivers for monitoring fish movement an average of 310 days in the Goukou Estuary. have been deployed in estuaries and coastal His results confirmed high site fidelity by spot- waters from False Bay to the Mozambican bor- ted grunter in this estuary and the positive der. This nationwide array of receivers forms value of no-take area closures as a potential the Acoustic Tracking Array Platform, which is management option. managed by SAIAB. Results from the first decade of fish telem- Fishery policy lagging etry studies have confirmed that the four spe- However, these important findings have had cies — dusky kob, spotted grunter, white steen- little direct impact on fishery policy formula- bras and leervis (garrick) — are threatened, tion. For the next four years, funding obtained both from fishing exploitation, human-caused through the Sanocean (South Africa-Norway degradation of estuaries, and reduced rainfall Research Co-operation on Blue Economy, resulting from climate change. This highlights Climate Change, the Environment and the need for immediate management action to Sustainable Energy) programme will be used protect them. for a follow-up project that aims to produce guidelines on how to communicate important No-take zones fish and fisheries information to managers. Marine Protected Areas have been shown Nelson Mandela University is part of the to be highly beneficial for the rehabilita- SAIAB-Nina partnership, conducting case tion and management of fish stocks, but study research on the social, economic and Subsistence fisher in Great Fish Estuary with dusky kob. Photo: Dr Tor F. Næsje few studies have evaluated the benefits of governance dynamics of estuarine fisheries. Sewage and contaminants in Cape Town sea

Wastewater contains many dangerous contaminants, which are now being measured

Professor Leslie Petrik, Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape

he City of Cape Town discharges a large volume of untreated or par- tially treated sewage effluent into the ocean via outlets located around the Cape Peninsula. This sewage con- Ttains a high degree of contaminants, including chemicals, pesticides, perfumes and disinfect- ants, which up until recently could not be accu- rately measured. Many contaminants are able to pass through wastewater treatment systems without ade- quate removal, as well as through systems used in desalination plants, or through treatment systems for wastewater reuse. To make matters Professor Leslie Petrik. Photo: Supplied Ocean health directly impacts human health. Photo: Supplied worse, 80% of wastewater treatment plants are only marginally functioning, a situation that it is necessary to measure their levels in the International Research Institute of Stavanger There is also a clear need for democratic deteriorated further with the concentrations of ocean, as well as in potential sources of pota- in Norway, are conducting a substantial study participation in decision-making on the issue, effluent caused by water use restrictions during ble “reclaimed” water, such as desalinated sea of the seasonal behaviour of the effluent out- for urban planners to be on board and for the the Cape’s recent . water. fall plumes around Cape Town and the current public to become more aware of the consumer Senior scientists from the University of the outfall flow rate impacts, neither of which have choices they make in respect of the purchasing Risks to humans Western Cape, the University of Cape Town and previously been studied. The areas being stud- and disposing of harmful chemicals and phar- Uncertainty over the magnitude of risk of Stellenbosch University, in partnership with ied are Table Bay, the Atlantic seaboard and maceuticals, which have direct effects on long- human exposure to these contaminants means others from the University of Stavanger and the False Bay. term wellbeing of humans and marine species. Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 7 Ocean Sciences

Nelson Mandela University’s Faculty of Engineering building Phase I. (Right) University of Southampton towing tank carriage and work station. Maritime engineering and naval architecture

New degree in Engineering Technology in Marine Engineering Marine Engineering PhD Boswell Douse (left) and John Fernandes lecturer in Marine Engineering at the University of Southampton. Photos: Supplied.

s part of Nelson Mandela Uni- councils around the world.” “We have bigger, more powerful swells and the manufacturing, engineering and related versity’s growth in the marine EBEIT plans to offer a Naval Architecture the vessels roll a lot more in the southern services SETA (merSETA). His foresight as and maritime space, in Janu- honours degree from 2022 and a master’s hemisphere oceans, which is not comfort- to what the growth of EBEIT’s offerings can ary 2018 its Faculty of Engi- thereafter, and is engaging with the Royal able for the seafarers on the boats,” Douse contribute to the blue economy, led to the neering, the Built Environ- Institute of Naval Architects in this regard. explained. “Another factor that needs to be SETA awarding the faculty an annual R10- Ament and Information Technology (EBEIT) built into the design is the high tempera- million grant over the past three years,” said launched its bachelor’s degree in Engineer- Naval Architecture PhD ture variability in the southern hemisphere Theunissen. ing Technology in Marine Engineering . Naval Architecture PhD candidate, Boswell oceans — from the cold temperatures when One of EBEIT’s key industry partners is “We are able to register up to 75 first- Douse is doing his PhD at the University of they go down south to the hot, tropical condi- the Finnish marine manufacturing and engi- year students each year,” said Howard Southampton, supported by the Faculty of tions up the east coast of Africa.” neering corporation, Wärtsilä. The company Theunissen, EBEIT’s Marine Engineering EBEIT and Department of Higher Education routinely trains engineers and technicians and Nautical Science Project Manager, and Training’s New Generation of Academics Key training partnerships: merSETA from all over the world, and is contracted to who presented at the IIOE-2 conference. Programme (nGAP). He explains that all fish- and Wärtsilä supply the engines and power train for the “The degree is accredited by the South ing vessel hulls are designed for northern The faculty has received considerable sup- South African Navy’s new hydrographic ves- African Maritime Safety Authority and the hemisphere ocean conditions, and our south- port locally and internationally for its marine sel — a scientific research and investigation Engineering Council of South Africa, which ern oceans are very different, which calls for and maritime programmes. “Credit is due vessel being built by the Southern African is a signatory to the body of engineering a different design of hull. to Dr Raymond Patel, the chief executive of Shipyards in Durban. Vehicle tyre particles a major marine polluter

Every set of tyres releases 6kg of toxic plastic into the environment

lobally, we are increasingly concerned about microplastic and nanoplastic pollution in the ocean, because if a parti- cle of this size is ingested by Above: Green sea turtle with a plastic bag, ‘Gfish, it might be small enough to transfer across which can be confused with jellyfish. The the walls of the digestive system and into the bag was removed by the photographer organism, possibly accumulating in organs before the turtle had a chance to eat it. such as the brain, liver and kidneys,” said Dr Photo: © Troy Mayne / WWF Andy Booth, senior research scientist in the Left: Dr Andy Booth simulating UV environmental technology department at one degradation of microplastic in freshwater of Europe’s largest independent research insti- and seawater. Photo supplied. tutes, Sintef Ocean, in Norway. Right: Plastic pollution on a Cape Town Speaking at the Sanocean conference at the polymers more resistant to degradation. beach. Photo supplied by WWF-SA. Nelson Mandela University in March 2019, he Some chemicals are very toxic, and this is a explained that microplastic particles are less big unknown at the moment. What we need to plastic into the environment — into the land, than 5mm in size and nanoplastic particles are identify, as part of coming up with solutions for freshwater sources and oceans. Scale up to the less than 100 nanometres — they are so small plastic pollution, is which are the benign and number of cars in the world and this may be you wouldn’t be able to see them. “Estimates which are the toxic materials. one the main sources of micro- and nanoplastic are that what we see is only about 10% of the particles polluting the ocean. total marine plastic pollution. What this means Toxic tyres To determine their toxicity, microplastic tyre develop products with reduced plastic particle is that about 90% of plastic litter is already on “We know, for example, that vehicle tyres are particles were added to fresh and seawater and pollution and to replace the toxic chemicals in the sea floor.” not benign. Not only are they one of the high- the Fortran research team analysed the metals plastics with non-toxic counterparts. Research is being conducted by the Fortran est volume emitters of microplastic particles, and chemicals that came out. “We found that “What we can also do is to look at the points project (factors influencing the formation, fate which are continuously released when the tyre they are really toxic,” says Booth. “We are now of origin of high flows of macro and microplas- and transport of microplastic in marine coastal comes into contact with the road surface, but looking at the transport route and toxicity effect tic into the environment. A good example is ecosystems). It’s a partnership between Sintef they have some of the most toxic chemical addi- of tyre wear particles on test organisms in the wastewater treatment plants — these are ideal Ocean, Stellenbosch University, the University tives in their composition,” said Booth. ocean, including microalgae, zooplankton and points for targeted management,” concluded of the Western Cape and Wildoceans — a pro- He said that the average car tyre loses 1.5kg in small sediment crustaceans. Booth. gramme of the Wildtrust in KwaZulu-Natal. its lifetime in the form of micro- and nanoplas- “Obviously you can’t ban car tyres, but what “Very importantly, different plastics and tic tyre wear particles that are released directly can be done is to assist, guide and regulate tyre For more information: polymers contain a broad range of chemicals, into the environment. Therefore, every car with manufacturers and other producers of plas- https://www.sintef.no/en/ some of which are added specifically to make four wheels releases 6kg of micro- and nano- tic to better manage their plastic footprint, to http://wildtrust.co.za/wildoceans/ 8 Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 Ocean Sciences

ACCP member Dr Jan De Vynck who recently graduated with his PhD in Ocean Science Painting by Maggie Newman reflecting the lives of humans on the southern Cape Coast from Nelson Mandela University, taking notes during an ethnographic study of marine dating back 164 000 years. Photo: Maggie Newman. intertidal foraging. Photo: ACCP Coastal link in the origins of human awareness Shells and shellfish were used for decoration and nutrition by early humans

he cognitive revolution of humans paintings, it is a clear sign of the progression took place when we evolved not in cognitive development,” said Potts. only anatomically but also cogni- During the same period, the team found tively. For signs of human devel- vast deposits of discarded shells in the mid- opment into sentient, conscious dens in the cave — evidence that humans had Tbeings, we look to the first indications of been harvesting shellfish in the intertidal planning, invention, art and adornment, zone. Shellfish and other aquatic resources which, in turn, reflect an awareness of self, are extremely rich in the specific nutrients others and the world. that the brain requires to grow, such as Scientists from Nelson Mandela iodine and omega3 polyunsaturated fatty University’s African Centre for Coastal acids. Palaeoscience (ACCP) are collaborating on Khoe-San descendants participating in the ACCP’s ethnographic study of marine intertidal “These humans also had a rich source of research into this phase of human evolu- foraging. They built a fire to cook the Turbo sarmaticus, or giant turban snails. Vast deposits of terrestrial plant foods, including bulbs and tion. The team includes Professor Richard discarded shells were found in the middens along the coastline. Photo: Jan De Vynck. berries, and the region at the time was full Cowling, Dr Alastair Potts and Professor of animals: giant zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, Curtis Marean from the School of Human 164 000 years ago. During his SANOCEAN as necklaces. even giraffe,” said Potts who, with his col- Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State presentation Dr Potts explained that they “There were also signs of art during this leagues, has reconstructed what this extinct University. know the shells weren’t collected fresh for period, including abalone shells with five ecosystem might have looked like. At Pinnacle Point Cave in Mossel Bay on food because they were sandblasted, so had different types of ochre in them — an art- the southern Cape coast, they have found already been lying on the beach. These shells ist’s palette. And although we do not know For more information: sandblasted shells collected by humans would have been used for adornment, such whether this was used for adornment or https://www.humanorigin.co.za/ Life below water from Zanzibar Advancing science and conservation in the West Indian Ocean

he Zanzibar-based Western Indian Ocean Management and Development of the Marine Marine Science Association (Wiomsa) and Coastal Environment) the 10 countries Tis supporting scientists in the region to agreed to develop a co-ordinated approach advance ocean science, ocean conservation to the implementation of the Sustainable and the associated legislation in the Western Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on Indian Ocean (WIO) countries of Somalia, SDG 14: Life Below Water,” Francis said. Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, “We are setting up baselines for at least Comoros, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius four SDG 14 targets, providing management An experienced Kenya Wildlife Service and Réunion. and policy recommendations, and tracking ranger helps a non-swimmer experience Wiomsa’s executive secretary, Dr Julius the progress of these targets over time. These coral reefs for the first time for the Strate- Francis, who lives in Zanzibar and presented at include: marine pollution, with a focus on gic Adaptive Management (SAM) Project in the IIOE-2 conference, said their aim is to estab- marine litter, healthy oceans, ocean acidifica- Mombasa Marine Park. lish a science-to-policy platform by address- tion, and marine protected areas.” Photo: Jennifer O’leary ing the research gaps in the WIO, including To date, Wiomsa has provided support to set research on , marine litter up monitoring programmes for ocean acidi- and mining activities. They also closely engage fication and marine litter as the first steps in with coastal cities and communities who establishing baselines against which to meas- depend on the ocean for their livelihoods. ure change and the degree of success of mitiga- One of the research projects supported by “Through the Nairobi Convention (a tion strategies. Fisherman with the day’s octopus catch. the programme is Cities and Climate Change regional Convention for the Protection, Partnering in Wiomsa’s regional marine Photo: rahimsaggaf_photography in Coastal Western Indian Ocean, A Grand Challenge, led by Dr Bernadette Snow, direc- litter monitoring programme is the Port tor of the Institute for Coastal and Marine Elizabeth-based Africa Marine Waste Research at the Ocean Sciences Campus of Network, which uses similar sampling Nelson Mandela University https://cmr.man- methodologies. dela.ac.za/, in collaboration with the German Climate Service Centre. Cities and Coasts Together with decision-makers and society, Francis explains that the coastal zone of the this three-year project is exploring and plan- WIO region hosts major cities, harbours, ning how coastal and marine planning can be industries and other development infrastruc- implemented to enable better adaptation to ture that, while vulnerable to climate change climate change in vulnerable coastal cities of themselves, also pose increasing threats to the the WIO. integrity of coastal and marine ecosystems. To address this, in 2018 Wiomsa launched a For more information visit: Sunset over Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania Photo: Oskar Henriksson four-year programme called Cities and Coasts. www.wiomsa.org Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 9 Ocean Sciences Era of marine spatial planning

Humpback whale breaching. Photo: Dr Stephanie Plön, Ocean Health Unit, Earth Stewardship Science Research, Nelson Mandela University

outh Africa has more ocean terri- dence-based decisions about how to sustain- ency, humans continue to impact marine sys- matching policy and management strategies tory than land, and more than 40% ably use resources and manage our oceans. tems in potentially irreversible ways. at a national level in our Exclusive Economic of South Africans live on or near Optimising economic opportunities has to “Unfortunately, South Africa’s national Zone (EEZ), which extends 200 nautical a coastline. In 2014, the govern- be done without compromising the envi- policies tend to be fragmented and sector- out to the sea (just under 400km), as well ment launched Operation Phakisa: ronment. This is non- specific and include as in the high seas (areas beyond national SOceans Economy, to unlock the economic negotiable, because the decision-support tools jurisdiction).” potential of the oceans, based on the princi- ecosystem services the that address only com- Lombard explained their research projects ples of sustainable development. One of the oceans deliver are essen- It brings together ponents of marine sys- include researchers from the physical, social key tools available to promote sustainable tial for our survival.” tems,” says Lombard. and economic sciences, and law. “We work practices in the ocean is marine spatial plan- These services include everyone who has “These tools are all with academics, government scientists, man- ning. provisioning (such as an interest in South represented in South agers and communities. We work across habi- Professor Mandy Lombard, who holds the food and water produc- Africa’s legislative tool- tats (from deep water corals, through marine DST/NRF SARChI Chair in Marine Spatial tion), regulating (such Africa’s oceans box, the most recent canyons, to shallower reefs and estuaries), Planning at Nelson Mandela University, as climate regulating addition being the oceans (Indian, Atlantic, Southern) and coun- explained: “Marine spatial planning brings through CO2 and heat draft Marine Spatial tries (from Angola to Western Indian Ocean together the research, data and everyone with absorption), support- Planning Bill, and our Islands). Using a Systems Thinking approach, an interest in the oceans — government, fish- ing (such as oxygen production), and cultural 20 new marine protected areas. The big move we build spatial and temporal models, and eries, shipping, energy, tourism, conservation (such as recreational or spiritual activities). required is towards integrated ocean manage- are working out how best to couple them with and recreation — to make co-ordinated, evi- Despite a clear understanding of this depend- ment at local and regional levels, based on policy and decision-making.” Tackling the ocean plastics problem now

A key focus at the IIOE-2 and SANOCEAN conferences was the issue of marine plastics.

Professor Andy Cundy, School of Ocean and There is real value and huge potential Earth Science, University of Southampton in scientists, policymakers, industry and the public working together: ver 100 million tonnes of plastic may (a) To better understand the amount of plas- now be present in the oceans and the tics entering the sea, and their pathways and Oamount is increasing year on year. Esti- distribution between land, the coastal ocean mates suggest that by 2050 there may be more and the deep sea to assess the risks to people plastics (by weight) than fish in the sea. and fisheries; and Multiple types of plastic are now found well (b) To tackle the plastics problem at source beyond our coastal seas, from remote mid- by developing local, regional and national ocean surface waters to the deepest ocean policies to reduce the amount of plastic trenches. Once plastics enter the ocean they debris entering the sea and impacting marine are difficult and costly to remove. ecosystems. Tackling the source of the plastics problem is Several nations have already put in place critical. Interventions include reuse, recycling measures to limit the amount of plastics and replacement with alternative materials, pollution entering the environment and our enhanced management of wastewater treat- seas, ranging from bans on certain plastic ment works, banning of microbead plastics products to reducing the use of single-use Electron microscope image of a microplastic fibre (long piece) with marine plankton. in, for example, cosmetics, and communities “throwaway” plastics and plastic packaging. These microplastic fibres originate from synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon and worldwide coming together to collaborate in a There are so many opportunities to build on acrylics, and are released into wastewater every time we wash our clothes, from where proposed Integrated Marine Debris Observing this, collaborate, and learn from each others’ they can enter estuaries and the marine environment through wastewater treatment System (IMDOS). experiences. works and storm water outflows. Photo: Prof Andy Cundy 10 Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 Ocean Sciences Institute for Coastal & Marine Research (CMR)

he SARChI Chair in the Law of One Integrating research the Sea and Development in across disciplines TAfrica is one of several trans- disciplinary Chairs in the Institute and sectors, and at for Coastal and Marine Research CMR, Nelson Mandela University. Ocean different The CMR is situated at the Ocean Science’s Campus with member- scales ship from all seven faculties and includes 50 staff members and over 100 postgraduate students, doctoral candidates and postdoc- Hub toral researchers. The director of the CMR, Dr Bernadette elson Mandela dents who are using Port Snow, was integral to the organisation of University Elizabeth and Algoa Bay the IIOE-2 and and SANOCEAN confer- is part of an as the project area, and are ences at Nelson Mandela University. ambitious new looking at everything from £20-million the dynamics and ocean Two research units in the CMR are: NUK Government Research economy of this coastal city Marine Apex Predator Research and Innovation Global and community to marine Unit (Mapru) Challenges Research genetics. Mapru conducts research on marine Fund (GCRF) programme top predators, including seabirds, seals, aimed at tackling threats Law of the sea and sharks and cetaceans, particularly in to the world’s oceans and development in Africa relation to global change, conservation addressing the challenges The SARChI Chair in and sustainable resource management. faced by developing coun- the Law of the Sea and Geographically, most of the projects are tries. From plastic pollu- Development in Africa focused on the South African coastline, tion to rising sea levels, is one of the One Ocean in the sub-Antarctic region, but they also acidification to over-fish- Hub members. Its focus is extend into Mozambique and Namibia. ing, the threats facing our the law of the sea in South oceans are well documented. Africa, and other parts of Research Diving Unit (RDU) Called the One Ocean Hub, it is led by the Africa, namely the east coast of Africa and The RDU provides diving sup- University of Strathclyde’s Professor Elisa the Indian Ocean; the west coast of Africa port to projects registered with Morgera, director of the Strathclyde Centre and the Atlantic Ocean; and the Southern Nelson Mandela University. It for Environmental Law & Governance within Ocean and . provides scientific diver training, the Law School, who said: “The One Ocean Chair holder Professor Patrick Vrancken and ensures that all health and Hub will bridge the current disconnects is the co-editor of a seminal 800-page book safety requirements for diving- across law, science and policy to empower published in 2017, titled The Law of the Sea related activities are met through local communities, woman and youth — who — The African Union and its Member States. its Safety, Health, Environment are particularly impacted by decision-mak- Professor Vrancken explained: “The sea is and Quality (SHEQ) programme ing — to co-develop research and solutions.” divided into maritime zones with different in accordance with national leg- Nelson Mandela University’s deputy vice rules in different zones,” he explains. “You islation and international best chancellor for Research and Engagement, have laws governing the internal waters such practice. Professor Andrew Leitch, said: “The One as our bays; then you have laws governing Ocean Hub integrates research across dis- the territorial sea extending 12 nautical miles Research Chairs in the CMR ciplines in different sectors and at differ- (1 nautical = 1.852km). Beyond this is include: ent scales (global-local). It speaks directly to the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) which Shallow Water Ecosystems (Chair Sustainable Development Goal 14 — the con- extends as far as 200 nautical miles from holder: Professor Janine Adams), servation and sustainable use of the oceans the coastal baselines. The law treats the Marine Spatial Planning (Chair — but also to other goals, including blue resources here as if they were part of the ter- holder: Professor Mandy Lombard), economies and vulnerable communities.” ritory of the coastal state but for all other Law of the Sea and Development He explained that one of the five focus purposes the zone is subjected to the same in Africa and Ocean Science and areas in the One Ocean Hub is transforma- laws as the high seas.” This book is the first Marine Food Security (Chair tive governance for an inclusive, innovative work to attempt to systematically collate the holder: Professor Mike Roberts). and responsible blue society, which examines legal aspects of ocean governance in African socioeconomic decision-making for ocean countries. Before this, Africans had to rely to For more information: cmr.mandela.ac.za management. The project team includes a much greater extent on what was written lawyers, economists, social scientists, bio- outside of Africa, which was often unreliable, physical scientists and postgraduate stu- biased and incomplete. The marine plastic pollution crisis

The cost in damage to marine ecosystems is $13-billion each year

eter Manyara is the South Africa-based Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Thailand and regional project co-ordinator for the Vietnam. PInternational Union for Conservation of Marplasticcs assists the governments, Nature’s (IUCN) Marine Plastics and Coastal municipalities, industry, research institu- Communities (Marplasticcs) programme for tions and organisations in these countries southern and east Africa to strengthen and effect legislative and prac- tical measures to reduce plastic pollution Plastic Pollution: The Facts from source to sea. • Globally, over 300 million tons of plastic is produced every year. Working with the private sector • Between 8—10 million tons of this plastic Plastic packaging is currently largely single flows into our oceans every year. use in business-to-consumer applications. It • Plastic kills an estimated one million sea- is essential that extended producer responsi- birds and 100 000 marine mammals each bility schemes should be designed and imple- year. mented to stimulate design change within the • Plastic pollution costs a minimum of consumer goods industry. $13-billion annually in damage to marine Marplasticcs’ engagement with the pri- ecosystems. vate sector includes supporting platforms for leadership and corporate stewardship Marine Plastics and Coastal to address the plastic problem and come up Communities Project (Marplasticcs) with innovative solutions and actions, as In 2017 the IUCN launched the Marine well a better understanding and assessment Plastics and Coastal Communities ini- of the plastic footprint. tiative (Marplasticcs) with the support of the Swedish International Development For more information https://www.iucn.org/ Co-operation Agency. This is a three-year theme/marine-and-polar/our-work/close- Peter Manyara, the regional project co-ordinator for the IUCN’s Marine Plastics and Coastal initiative working with five countries: South plastic-tap-programme Communities (Marplasticcs) programme. Photo: Heather Dugmore Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 11 Ocean Sciences

Common dolphins in Algoa Bay. Photo: Lloyd Edwards. IUCN Marine Mammal Task Force includes SA

n March 2019, the International Union mal is found; and for the Conservation of Nature’s • The southeast coast seasonal sardine (IUCN) Marine Mammal Protected run area, where marine apex predators, Areas Task Force (the “Task Force”) such as common dolphins, Indo-Pacific Chinese tour guides with Bottlenose dolphins at St Croix Island in Algoa Bay. completed the fifth Important Marine bottlenose dolphins, Bryde’s whales, Cape Photo: Lloyd Edwards IMammal Area workshop in Salalah, Oman. fur seals and killer whales can be seen fol- The week-long workshop hosted 38 lowing the annual migration in May/June study, we are looking at the key areas the of environmental affairs on which parts marine mammal scientists and observers every year. dolphins and whales use in the bay; where of the existing regulations need updating from 15 countries to map the important The candidate IMMAs are currently they rest, feed and socialise and where the and the rate of transgressions in the indus- habitats for 130 species of marine mam- being assessed through a rigorous scientific whale-watching boats operate in these try, as there are ethical and less ethical mals in the western Indian Ocean and process. Once approved (towards the end areas,” explained project leader Dr Gwenith operators.” Arabian seas, namely cetaceans (whales, of 2019), they will be placed on the IMMA Penry, a postdoctoral researcher at Nelson On the socioeconomic side the team is dolphins and porpoises), pinnipeds, sireni- e-Atlas and can be used for conservation Mandela University’s Institute for Coastal looking at the direct and indirect benefits ans, otters and the polar bear — across the planning. and Marine Research, focusing on the “data of marine tourism activities for the commu- world oceans. “South Africa’s marine environment is a deficient” Bryde’s whale. nities and towns that offer these. They will The delegates from South Africa were global biodiversity hotspot,” said Plön. “If there are too many operators in one also assess the contribution of marine tour- Dr Stephanie Plön (who heads the Ocean “Algoa Bay in Port Elizabeth, for exam- area, the animals could leave. We need to ism to employment and hospitality, such as Health Unit at the ple, has an abundance safeguard the animals, develop a spatial how many accommodation establishments, Earth Stewardship of dolphins and whales plan, and offer feedback to the department restaurants and shops depend on it. Science Research Five important and is an ideal place Institute, Nelson marine mammal areas for marine scientists Mandela University), to do research. It’s Dr Vic Cockcroft identified locally known as the ‘dolphin Raggy Charters Whale-Watching (Nelson Mandela capital of the world’ University) and as there are unusually One of the most established whale-watching cruises is Raggy Charters in Algoa Bay, national Professor Ken Findlay (Cape Peninsula large group sizes of common and bottle- winner of the 2018 Lilizela Tourism Award for Best Marine Adventures in South Africa. University of Technology, Cape Town). nose dolphins; we see groups ranging from The founder and owner of Raggy Charters, Lloyd Edwards, led SANOCEAN participants on “A record 55 candidate important marine 10 to 15 bottlenose dolphins to several hun- a cruise around Algoa Bay and St Croix Island, home to 22 000 breeding pairs of African mammal areas, or IMMAs, were identi- dred common dolphins, often associated Penguins, the largest breeding colony in Africa. fied,” said Plön. This includes five for South with bait balls or large schools of sardines Algoa Bay is rich in marine wildlife, including bottlenose dolphins, common dol- African waters, which encompass all of or red eyes (part of the herring family). phins, humpback dolphins, Bryde’s whales, minke whales, humpback whales (June to South African coastal and shelf waters, Sometimes these bait balls are a kilometre December), southern right whales (July to September), Cape fur seals, various species including: in diameter.” of sharks, Cape gannets and various species of pelagic birds including terns, petrels, • The inshore waters along the south- skuas, shearwaters and albatrosses. ern Cape coast — False Bay to Algoa Bay — South Africa’s first boat-based Algoa Bay is the furthest place east where southern right whales give birth in large where southern right whales come to mate whale-watching study numbers. They nurse their calves in the sheltered waters of the bay. Common dolphins and give birth between June and November Over the past two decades boat-based are found further offshore here in schools of between 1 000 and 3 000 individuals every year; whale-watching has developed into an throughout the year. • East coast waters within 15km from important, growing tourist industry, with Purity Khosa, a marine guide with Raggy Charters, accompanied the SANOCEAN shore that are known for migrating hump- new and established operators in marine cruise. She had never seen the sea until 2014, when she started her Diploma in back whales. They migrate from their feed- tourism hotspots such as False Bay, Tourism Management at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. ing grounds in the Antarctica to the Indian Hermanus, Gansbaai, Knysna, Plettenberg “I’m from Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, and if you want to go to the beach you had Ocean/Mozambique/Madagascar to give Bay and Port Elizabeth. to go to Mozambique or Durban, but we just didn’t have the finances to do this,” she birth between June and November each In partnership with the Nature’s Valley said. “When I first saw the sea I could not believe there could be such an expanse of year, and back to the Antarctic from about Trust, a WWF Nedbank Green Trust project water.” September/October to November; is currently assessing the impact of South She started working with Raggy Charters in 2017 for the experiential component • Southern coast inshore and shelf Africa’s boat-based whale-watching indus- required in her final year. “That was when I fell in love with the sea and in January waters where the inshore Bryde’s whale is try on the dolphins and whales, as well as 2019 I joined as a full-time staff member,” said Khosa, who is pursuing a marine guid- found. It was declared as “vulnerable” in the socioeconomic impact of the indus- ing qualification with the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa. the last South African Red List assessment; try on the towns where the operators are • The south coast inshore Indian Ocean based. Research started in September 2018 www.raggycharters.co.za, www.thebaywatchproject.com, www.facebook.com/raggy- humpback dolphin habitat where South and the findings will be released in 2020. charters Africa’s only “endangered” marine mam- “Using Plettenberg Bay for our case 12 Advertising supplement to the Mail & Guardian May 24 to 30 2019 Ocean Sciences Why the Indian Ocean?

By Heather Dugmore and Professor Peter Burkill, Co-Chair of the Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2) Steering Committee and Past President of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR), Emeritus Professor, University of Plymouth, UK.

he Indian Ocean remains the least by 2100. This will affect all low-lying coun- known of all the global oceans, and tries bordering the Indian Ocean, with the the least scientifically studied. A Maldives, Seychelles and Bangladesh most at strong contributing factor for this is risk: the Maldives could be submerged within that from the 1990s, the global eco- the next two decades. Tnomic recession resulted in the West turning The Indian Ocean is surrounded by coun- its back on the Indian Ocean due to the cost of tries in which artisanal fisheries are of signifi- operating in far waters, and the resurgence of cant importance for income and food, yet we piracy in the region. know little about the impact of ocean warming In the last few years, however, this has and marine pollution on this critical coastal changed, as the West begins to realise the community resource. Tourism is another impact that this ocean has on the world’s resource of great importance to the Indian marine and the terrestrial environment. Ocean countries. And coral reefs, a vital asset to both fishing and tourism, are bleaching and The monsoons dying as a result of ocean warming. The Indian Ocean is bounded in the north by countries that include Somalia, Oman, Blue economy rapid development Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia, a Responsible stewardship of ocean resources region of monsoonal weather systems. Because for the blue economy depends critically on of this there is huge upwelling of deep nutrient- knowing what resources are where and what rich water in the ocean during the monsoon governs their sustainability. Since 1957, SCOR months of June, July and August, only subsid- Prof Peter Burkill and Dr Satheesh Shenoi, Co-Chairs of the IIOE-2 steering committee, at see: https://scor-int.org/ — the Scientific ing when the winds die down in September. the IIOE-2 conference at Nelson Mandela University in March this year. Committee on Ocean Research — has been This seasonal upwelling enhances the produc- bringing together ocean scientists from all tivity of the surface waters of the ocean, and parts of the world to advance our understand- species such as migratory tuna are attracted Indian Ocean south of the equator seem to be Tipping point ing of the ocean. to the area, while residents such as squid grow warming faster than in any other ocean region. The best scientific research, data and predic- SCOR sponsors the Second International profusely due to the abundance of food. The regional warming pattern in the Indian tion models are needed if countries are to Indian Ocean Expedition programme One of the questions that scientists are grap- Ocean is globally significant as it accounts for a manage the impact of climate change and to together with UN Educational, Scientific and pling with is whether the pattern of monsoons large proportion of the heat assimilated by the avoid reaching an environmental “tipping Cultural Organisation’s Intergovernmental is changing. To monitor this, data is collected ocean as a whole. This effect may be a crucial point”, beyond which it may be impossible to Oceanographic and the Indian Ocean Global over the northern Indian Ocean basins using aspect of the ocean’s role in global climate regu- recover. Ocean Observing System. satellites and oceanographic moorings and fed lation. It will also have profound local effects. Sea levels are already rising at a rate of 30 Such collaborations are essential to work- into climate models to establish changes. These include a rise in sea levels, flooding or to 40cm per century, with predictions that ing out what can be done for the environment even submerging coastal land, severe damage this will increase significantly in the future. and who should be doing it. Despite what Indian Ocean is warming faster to coral reefs — and the effects may even extend About 500 million people live on land that will President Trump may think, human-driven Research reveals that the surface waters of the to widespread changes in rainfall patterns. be submerged or exposed to chronic flooding climate change is a reality.

Interconnected ocean power and its influence on India Rapidly Gearing Up the Earth’s rotation Massive exchanges of water between “India has completed the the Pacific and Indian Oceans empha- mapping of this region and sise the interconnectivity of the world’s oceans, with significant climate-related made a quantity assessment, implications. but it is a question of how Dr Satheesh Shenoi was part of a sustainably, safely and group of scientists from France and the Indian National Centre for Ocean economically you can mine it.” Information Services (INCOIS) work- ing on this research. Their findings ndia is rapidly gearing up its blue econ- were published in April in the journal omy and its ocean sciences research,” says Nature Communications, in a paper ‘IHyderabad-based Dr Satheesh Shenoi, titled: Basin-wide Sea Level Coherency director of the Indian National Centre for in the Tropical Indian Ocean Driven by Ocean Information Services, and co-chairper- Madden–Julian Oscillation. (Rohith et son of the Second International Indian Ocean al. https://www.nature.com/articles/ Expedition (IIOE-2) steering committee. s41467-019-09243-5) “We are building more ports and harbours so that many more goods can be transported or fall of by ship, which is far more cost effective, with New technology such as the Scantrol Deepvision System is being used in ocean research. It fewer carbon emissions. India is also looking at takes photographs of and measures fish and invertebrates as they swim through the tunnel. ~4cm the resources in the oceans, including oil and There are only a few in operation at the moment and it can be modified to 3000m depth. Excerpts from this paper read as fol- gas and potential medicines. We recognise the lows: During the months of December critical role of our oceans in climate change, to the warming of the upper ocean. an alternative, with the discovery of solidified to April, the Indian Ocean routinely and are investing substantially in ocean More than 40% of the world’s population methane gas deposits on the ocean floor. gains or loses ~three trillion tons of research and ocean observation.” lives in countries prone to cyclones, floods “India is one of the pioneer investors in water from the Pacific Ocean every ~30 and along the Indian Ocean, so it future ocean technology, but it might take to 80 days accompanied by a sea level Monsoon winds is important to understand how the climate another decade to develop the technology to rise or fall of ~4cm, which is ~ 30% of Sailors in the Indian Ocean have always known affects people and their livelihoods. extract these deposits without losing the meth- the total sea-level change during the that the monsoon wind pattern changes twice A key question is how Indian Ocean warming ane,” Shenoi explains. “Another example is the period. This process is driven by intense a year, but investment in research into these influences the monsoons. technology required to mine the deposits of winds hovering over a very small area in winds and the many complex dynamics of the “We don’t know the answer to this yet,” manganese, zinc, cobalt and several other met- the eastern Indian Ocean. This intense Indian Ocean is only fairly recent. With the Shenoi replies. “Some of the published research als at a depth of about 500 in the cen- wind is associated with a little-known Indian Ocean warming faster than any of the indicates that warming is happening more at tral Indian Ocean. tropical weather phenomenon known as world’s other oceans, the IIOE-2 is very much the subsurface layers, in which case it won’t “India has completed the mapping of this Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). part of the shift towards conducting scientific immediately affect the atmosphere. But is it a region and made a quantity assessment, but research in the region. matter of time before the ocean transfers the it is a question of how sustainably, safely and Effect on the GPS heat to the surface? Increased surface tempera- economically you can mine it. These metals are Why the Indian Ocean is warming ture is certain to affect the African and Asian used to make alloys for many purposes – from The rise and fall of the sea level Shenoi suggests two possible explanations for monsoons; the entire regional pattern could engineering to technology. Assessments pre- in the Indian Ocean leads to mass Indian Ocean warming that require further change, with either increased or decreased dict that these will run out on land in about 30 exchanges between the Indian Ocean research: rains. All this will directly affect the Indian years, so these ocean deposits will become a and the Pacific Ocean. Such large mass 1. The Indonesian throughflow from the Ocean populations and their livelihoods.” critical resource. In all forms of ocean manage- exchanges are known to influence the Pacific has increased, bringing more of its ment – from conservation to mining – we need polar motion of the Earth and the length warm water into the Indian Ocean. Macroeconomic level: Looking to the to think several decades ahead. It’s a very short of the day, the variability of which is of 2. The westerly winds over the equatorial ocean period of time in the greater scheme of things.” utmost importance to the accuracy of Indian Ocean are becoming stronger, strength- At a macroeconomic level, India is a major the Global Positioning System (GPS). ening the downwelling conditions, and leading importer of oil and it is looking to the ocean for http://www.incois.gov.in