Chagos Archipelago

Indian Ocean Marine Science

Marine science for the Indian Ocean and its people 

Image Credit: Nathan Hudson-Peacock

Summary - Marine Science Programme:

Since 2018 ZSL has worked with the Bertarelli Foundation to deliver the Marine Science programme. The programme is advancing our understanding of large marine protected areas (MPAs) so they can be better managed. Our focus is on the Indian Ocean, with highly collaborative and interdisciplinary projects led by some of the world’s leading marine scientists pushing the boundaries of their fields.

We are working with universities and NGOs across the Indian Ocean region (SDG target 14.5), and research partners in Europe, North America and Australia, to increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology (SDG target 14.A). We are funding and proactively recruiting early career scientists and students from within the Indian Ocean region. We will explore the effectiveness of a variety of approaches to improve communication of marine science to different audiences, increasing regional opportunities and access to marine science. 

The programme is an official action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, seeking to address the following UN Decade challenges:

• CHALLENGE 2: Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity
• CHALLENGE 9: Skills, knowledge and technology for all
• CHALLENGE 10: Change humanity’s relationship with the ocean

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Operations & Development

The team at ZSL manages the marine science programme as whole coordinating 100 scientists across 24 institutions and seven countries globally. As well as coordination, communications and operational support for the projects provided by a team of three in C&P we also have researchers working across multiple projects based in both C&P and IOZ.

IMPACTS

• Impact 1 – starting our fifth year of intensive scientific study of the Indian Oceans largest MPA in the Chagos Archipelago. We provide open access data to inform improved management outcomes here and across the region.
• Impact 2 – making the link between rat free islands with intact native woodland, healthy seabird populations and the resilience that confers on adjacent coral reefs through nutrient flow.
• Impact 3 (3 BSc students, and 5 MSc/MRes students in BPMS Phase I, 2021)

Image Credit: Nathan Hudson-Peacock

Programme's Constituent Projects with ZSL Participants

• Indian Ocean Seabirds
• Chagos Archipelago Seabirds
• The Human Dimensions of Illegal Fishing
• Is the Indian Ocean Region One of the Last Tropical Refuges for Cetaceans?
• Mitigating the Impacts of Plastic on Sea Turtle Reproduction in the Chagos Archipelago
• Indian Ocean Sea Turtles
• Building Genomic Seascapes to Enable Genetic Surveillance of Illegally Fished Sharks
• Nutrient Pathways Between Seabirds, Islands and Reefs

Full programme project listings available on here at Marine.Science