Africa-Press – Angola. The first scientific cruise/2023 of the Norwegian research vessel, “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen”, in Angola’s oceanic waters, left today (Sunday), with a view to deepening knowledge about various species of the Angolan coastline.
With 44 professionals on board, including Angolan and foreign crew and scientists, the vessel left the port of Luanda at 8:30 am for the central region of Angola, where a study will be carried out on the distribution, abundance and behavior of the species (mesoplagic resources) that are found between 200 to 1000 meters deep below the ocean.
According to the itinerary that press had access to, this first cruise will last 10 days, highlighting the involvement of 10 Angolan scientists and five foreigners.
The second cruise, which will take place in 30 days, will cover the entire Angolan coast, starting from the northern region to the mouth of the Cunene river, with the presence of 12 national researchers and six Europeans.
With about 1,650 kilometers in length, facing the Atlantic Ocean, the Angolan coastline is divided into three areas: North, which runs from the south of the Congo River to the Ponte das Palmeirinhas, Center (Palmeirinhas/Benguela) and South ( Benguela/Mouth of the Cunene River).
It is in these maritime regions where the Nansen vessel will sail for 40 days, to gather scientific data and achieve sustainable fisheries management, as well as gauge the impact of climate change on Angola’s oceans.
This vessel has returned to cross national oceanic waters for almost a year after being present in the country, in September 2022, during which time it mapped the main areas of marine litter in Angola.
The regular presence of the Norwegian vessel in Angola is part of the EAF-Nansen Programme, created in 1975, with the aim of providing technical support in the field of research and fisheries management, having already collaborated with 58 countries in Africa, Asia and South America South.
Implemented by FAO, in close collaboration with the Institute for Marine Research (IMR) in Bergen, Norway, this initiative is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, with a view to promoting the sustainable use of living marine resources and improving the protection of the marine environment.
As a signatory country of the United Nations, Angola has benefited from several national and regional scientific research cruises, to deepen knowledge about the oceans, which has allowed estimating the abundance of the main fishing resources along its coastline.
From 2017 to date, the EAF-Nansen Program works with 32 countries in Africa and supports regional and country-specific efforts to improve food and nutrition security, as well as the achievement of sustainable fisheries management systems.
The research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, which started operating in 2017 and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, is the third version of the same name and the only one flying the United Nations flag in the world.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
