Planning underway for fourth season of marine monitoring |19 December 2016

The fourth consecutive season of the Aldabra Reef Monitoring programme starts this month. A great deal of work has gone into designing and establishing this programme over the past few years and this season will be the first time that it will be conducted solely within the SIF Aldabra staff team.

As the largest marine protected area in Seychelles, and a Unesco Marine World Heritage Site, the marine monitoring programme at Aldabra is extremely valuable as an indicator of reef health at a site that is not impacted directly by human activities.

The monitoring season will start with SCUBA surveys of fish, coral health and benthic cover at two depths at each of twelve permanent sites. Following this, Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) surveys will be conducted to assess fish abundance and composition both within and outside the new Aldabra food security zones.

Aldabra is well-known for its isolation and the logistical difficulties faced in maintaining the research station and conducting research. These factors are accentuated in the marine monitoring programme and therefore many things need to be considered to ensure the safety and success of the work. The staff have a wealth of experience at Aldabra and work together well to ensure that every safety aspect is covered. The team are very much looking forward to commencing the marine work, which, despite the challenges, will also be extremely rewarding. Further updates on their progress will be made in December, wish them luck!

Source: SIF