Biodiversity - Indian Ocean Pelagic Ecosystem

The Marine Research Centre is collaborating with scientitsts from IRD, France, to study the biodiversity of the Indain Ocean pelgic ecosystem. The aim of this international research programme, funded by the Institut Français de la Biodiversité (IFB), is to characterize the marine pelagic biodiversity in different ecosystems of the western Indian Ocean. The research programme will focus on:

• Combining different data sets of varying information sources to better understand the complexity of pelagic fish diversity,
• Defining a a set of complementary indices of pelagic fish biodiversity with respect to the properties of different sets of data,
• Assessing the the spatial and temporal variability of these indices at several scales,
• Inventorizing of the pelagic biodiversity in the western Indian Ocean on the basis of several scientific data sets, and
  
• Developing protocols to undertake surveys.

The work proposed for the Maldives is to understake visual assessment surveys around anchored fish aggregating devices. These FADs, located within 12-15 miles from the atolls, provide a unique observation window to open ocean environment. 

Presently Marine Research Centre's scientits is undergoing training required for diving around the  FADs An IRD scientist, Dr. Marc Tacquet, specilized in FAD diving, is currently in Maldives. The team will be diving around FADs located off Kaafu Atoll Gaafaru, Dhiffushi, Maafushi and Vaavu Atoll Foththeyo.

For more information please contact Snr. Research Officer, Ahmed Riyaz Jauharee at MRC. See the MRC Press Rlease on this dated 03 Dec 2008.

Previous entry relating to BIOPS: FAD Research in the Maldives

All photos are by Dr. Marc Tacquet, BIOPS