M.Y. Angra Pequena Cruise, 30 Jun - 9 Jul 2019. Pemba Channel (Tanzania)

Abstract

Sustainable Oceans, Livelihoods and food Security Through Increased Capacity in Ecosystem research in the Western Indian Ocean (SOLSTICE-WIO) is a Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) project. As part of its work in Tanzania an oceanographic survey of the Pemba Channel was undertaken in June 2019 during the early stages of the South East monsoon. The survey combined traditional hydrographic measurements with plankton and biogeochemical observations at 40 stations throughout the channel to obtain updated information on the local oceanography and pelagic ecology within the wider project objective of understanding environmental controls on the small pelagic fishery of these waters. The fishery is a major source of protein for local communities and faces numerous threats to its longevity with inadequate environmental information widely perceived to be detrimental to fisheries management decision making. The cruise focussed upon a limited suite of measurements pertinent to upper ocean biogeochemical characterisation and successfully completed sampling at all stations. The resulting dataset is believed to be among the most detailed datasets collected to date from these waters