The deep sea expedition to explore the depths of Indian Ocean, dubbed “The Maldives Knowledge Exchange Expedition” commenced on Wednesday, 7th September.
The expedition will gather vital data which will better inform governments and the science community worldwide in their combat against climate change.
The expedition is part of a wider five-week mission under the joint auspices of the Maldives Government and the UK marine research institute, Nekton. A total of 10 locals, forming the knowledge exchange team will join scientists on the mission.
The expedition will undertake the first systematic discovery and documentation of ocean life in Maldives from the surface to 1,000 meters.
Speaking about the project, Minister of Fisheries Dr. Hussein Rasheed Hassan said, “What happens to the Indian Ocean will affect half of the world’s population. The resilience, prosperity and sustainable governance of our shared ocean can only be, and must be, established through far deeper scientific understanding and regional cooperation.”
“We’re coming together to establish new marine science leadership, share knowledge and ultimately forge the foundations for greater scientific collaboration across the Indian Ocean,” Mr. Mohamed Ahusan from the Maldives Marine Research Institute and the Maldivian co-lead on the expedition said.
The mission includes Nekton’s international scientific team, scientists from Maldives, UK, India, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, South Africa and the Europe. During the expedition, any new species discovered will be named by the Maldivians, while all the data collected will be owned by the Maldivian government.