Luanda - The Norwegian scientific research ship "Dr Fridtjof Nansen" began the first of two research cruises in Angola this Friday to map the distribution and assess the abundance of pelagic species (sardinella, horse mackerel and mackerel) in Angolan ocean waters.
The research, which will last 26 days, also aims to stimulate and measure the biomass of the South African sardine and other pelagic species, which move through the water column on a daily basis, according to a press release ANGOP had access Friday.
The second cruise will begin on 18 July and will last 13 days, covering only the area around Cabo Ledo.
According to the document, the results of the research, together with data on fishing activity, will serve as a basis for establishing fisheries management measures for 2025.
In this way, the note says, it will be possible to promote sustainable fishing and balance the binomial between exploitation and conservation.
The scientific cruise also serves to study the mechanisms of the dynamics of eggs and larvae of pelagic species, as this area is a retention site for these species' early life stages in the tropical system.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources said that the results of the research will make it possible to understand the natural production of the area, which guarantees the successful recruitment of the fish that enter the fishery.
After this first phase of cruises in Angolan waters, the ship will cover the waters under Namibian jurisdiction, as part of a regional strategy, with the participation of researchers from the National Institute for Fisheries and Marine Research (INIPM) and students from Agostinho Neto and Namibe universities.
The technical team includes six researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR), four from the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Resources (NATMIRC) and 11 from INIPM.
The cruise is led by IMR researcher Maik Tieedaman and co-led by Angolan researcher Filomena Vaz Velho, director of INIPM.
OPF/QCB/DAN/jmc
