The Great African Expedition began its explorations

 

On September 10, at the roadstead of the port of Nouadhibou, a scientific group of the Mauritanian Institute of Oceanographic Research and Fisheries (IMROP) arrived on board the STM "Atlantniro". The arrival of the Mauritanian scientific group on the vessel was facilitated by the head of the Representative Office of the Federal Agency for Fisheries in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania Viktor Popov.

 

A meeting of employees of the Atlantic branch of the State Research Center of the Russian Federation FGBNU "All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography" (VNIRO) and IMROP was held on board the vessel in order to agree on a program of joint research in the Mauritania zone, during which all the details of the research work in this fishing area were discussed. The Mauritanian scientific group includes specialists in the field of acoustic, ichthyological, hydrological and hydrochemical research.

 

Research work in the EEZ of Mauritania will be carried out within the framework of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania on cooperation in the field of marine fisheries and fisheries dated May 12, 2003.

 

As part of the Great African Expedition, a large volume of research is planned in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Mauritania. Three types of trawl surveys will be carried out:

 

- trawl survey to assess the biomass of demersal aquatic biological resources (ABR) in September-October 2024;

 

- accounting trawl survey to assess the recruitment indices of the main exploited populations of small pelagic fish species in December 2024;

 

- trawl-acoustic survey to assess the biomass and abundance of exploited small pelagic fish species in January 2025.

 

Each survey will be accompanied by work to assess the hydrometeorological, oceanographic and hydrochemical conditions for the formation of increased bioproductivity of waters in the EEZ of Mauritania. Samples will also be collected to study the qualitative and quantitative composition of phyto-, zoo-, ichthyoplankton and fix samples of aquatic organisms for the specialized divisions of the institute, where coastal processing of the obtained materials will continue.

 

At the first stage of research in the EEZ of Mauritania, an assessment of the biomass of demersal aquatic biological resources will be made along with a study of the environmental conditions of aquatic organisms.

 

For reference:

 

Research work in the EEZ of Mauritania is an integral part of the Great African Expedition, the purpose of which is to conduct fisheries research in the areas of coastal countries of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The work will be carried out by two research vessels of the Federal Agency for Fisheries, the Atlantniro and the Atlantida, with groups of scientists from VNIRO. The basis for its implementation is the order of the Government of the Russian Federation.

 

It is planned to carry out research work in the coastal waters of 18 states in West Africa and the western part of the Indian Ocean. The Atlantniro STM will conduct research in the areas of Morocco, Mauritania, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of the Congo, and Angola. The Atlantida STM will carry out work in the sea waters of Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Oman, and Eritrea.

 

The work of the Great African Expedition will continue until the beginning of 2026. The work will include the implementation of complex surveys to assess the biomass, abundance and recruitment of small pelagic fish, as well as the implementation of work to assess the biomass of demersal or bottom fish, shrimp and other aquatic biological resources along with the study of the distribution and behavior of aquatic biological resources, and oceanographic conditions and food supply. The assessments will be made by means of acoustic sounding, control trawls, hydrological and hydrobiological stations.

 

Press Service of VNIRO