Share in Marine Research with uKwabelana
www.MyPE.co.za:
Marine research in Africa took a quantum leap with the launch of
South Africa’s first in-shore research vessel at the Algoa Bay Yacht
Club in Port Elizabeth on Thursday March 25.
The unveiling of the
technologically advanced “uKwabelana” and its
Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is being hailed “as one of the most
significant events in the history of marine research in Africa”.
According to African Coalacanth Ecosytem Programme Manager Dr Angus
Patterson, the uKwabelana, and submersible (ROV) “have the potential to
place the Department of Science and Technology, National Research
Foundation and research partners at the forefront of marine physical
and biodiversity sciences regionally and globally.”
He said the new 13m ski-boat and technology, funded by the Department
of Science and Technology, provided an ideal research platform and “a
window to areas of the South African and African coast that have never
been explored.”
Whereas SA marine scientists could previously only gather information
up to a depth of 30m by scuba diving, now research observation can be
taken remotely to depths of up to 300m.
The Department of Science and Technology funded vessel is therefore
expected to make a significant contribution to national and
international marine research.
“By generating new, cutting-edge knowledge of the largely unexplored
and unknown offshore marine environment, South African marine science
will be on a par with the rest of the world,” Patterson said.
The vessel will be fully equipped for overnight passages and is
licensed as a Category A vessel that allows it to venture more than 40
nautical miles offshore. This will allow marine scientists to sample
the entire ecosystem (physical oceanography, marine geology,
phytoplankton, zooplankton, infauna, fish, marine mammals and birds)
from nearshore to past the continental shelf.
Built in Port Alfred, the vessel will be based in Port Elizabeth and
run under the research programmes of the South African institute for
Aquatic Biodiversity, the former JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology.
The uKwabelana, which means ‘to share’ in isiXhosa will be managed by
SAIAB’s flagship research initiative the African Coelacanth Ecosystem
Programme and as a National Facility of the National Research
Foundation (NRF), the boat and its equipment will be available to all
researchers around the coast of South Africa. The ROV will also be made
available to the rest of the South Western Indian Ocean region through
ACEP’s partnership with the Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine
Ecosystems Project (ASCLME).
“One of the most exciting opportunities of the platform is that its
research has great relevance and application to our daily lives – it
brings science to life,” Patterson said.
“The South African
coastal and marine environment is one of the
country’s most important assets as it plays the major role in
regulating our climate, has tremendous natural biodiversity and
supports numerous communities through fisheries, tourism and mining.
“South Africa has more territory under water than on dry land yet an
indication of just how little we know about the marine environment and
the stresses we place on it, is the fact that it was only 10 years ago
that we found a population of coelacanths living in the deepwater off
Sodwana in Kwazulu-Natal, one of our most frequented coastal areas in
the country.”
After the launch the ROV will form part of SAIAB’s International Year
of Biodiversity 2010 display at Scifest Africa in the Thomas Pringle
Hall at the Monument in Grahamstown from 26-31 March.
Eds Notes: I must say that I felt quite
intimidated at the assembled intellect thronging the marquee on the
lawns of the ABYC and quite afraid to open my mouth to ask questions
lest I reveal myself for the complete philistine that I am.
The research vessel is
quite magnificent and will be a gas guzzler of note with it’s twin 300
Horespower four stroke engines – what a magnificent vessel it will make
if ABYC can persuade SAIAB ‘to share’ the uKwabelana with ABYC
who could utilise it as a magnificent Committee boat for regattas – oh
well, one can dream can’t one?
The spread of food was
tempting and the queue exceptionally long so I can only comment on the
appearance – the prawns, rooties, mini burgers and other delicacies
looked magnificent so it seems as though Dean and his gang of
the Chartroom Restaurant have outdone themselves again.
What a delight it was to
stand on the somewhat dry lawns of ABYC and feel spatters of rain on my
face whilst quaffing a Fanta Brown or three!
Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation
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