The oceans cover 71 % of the earth's surface, and influence every aspect of life on earth, in effect they are the life support system. Planet Earth is actually a marine environment, and yet the oceans remain largely unexplored and little understood. They are the final frontier, the remote oceanic regions and deep ocean space remains virtually unexplored, and remain the essence of modern day exploration. It is a sobering thought that we probably know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the deep ocean and expend more resources on the exploration of outer space than we do on the oceans. Throughout history we have exploited the oceans and their resources, used them for political and economic expediency, transportation, and as a cheap repository for our waste. Yet our understanding of oceanic processes is, at best, limited. Nonetheless the exploitation continues unabated, even though there is every indication that the oceanic immune system is already severely stressed.
Just as the responsibility for the oceans' deterioration must be shared, it is our collective responsibility to learn how to manage and understand them and their resources. This is not a local or regional issue, but has a global imperative. Concern for marine environmental affairs is no longer a radical point of view, with numerous international treaties clearly demonstrating inter-governmental concern, as emphasised by the United Nations declaration that 1998 be designated the International Year of the Ocean. Understanding the global influence of the oceans, and the traditional views of the environmental, socio-economic and political role of the oceans is rapidly changing, from one that traditionally kept us apart, as a barrier to cross, to one that could brings us together - as Nelson Mandela said;
"the requirement for the conservation of our oceans transcends political boundaries. The countries of the world are therefore dependent on one another to ensure a healthy marine environment".
The current and predicted exponential growth of coastal populations world-wide will cause an increased dependency on marine resources, resulting in further depletion of these resources and risking an escalation of extreme poverty in coastal communities. If this is to be avoided, appropriate proactive management strategies will be required, obviating the need for further research into marine processes and ecosystems.
Through integrated research, training and education the Shoals of Capricorn Programme will work towards developing the knowledge and skills required to manage a Large Marine Ecosystem in the western Indian Ocean, with regional and global application for the protection of the biodiversity and marine resources of coastal and oceanic areas.
The Area - The Mascarene Plateau
Surprisingly little is known or has been published about the Mascarene Plateau, yet it represents an area where a number of oceanic and physical processes can be studied in close proximity, an interface between deep and shallow waters away from the influence of major land masses and their associated impacts - it is in fact a massive natural marine laboratory.
To facilitate oceanic space management the oceans of the world have been divided up into 49 Large Marine Ecosystems. The Mascarene Plateau forms part of a Large Marine Ecosystem in the western Indian Ocean. International and regional collaboration in research and education is essential to develop and implement sustainable management strategies for these areas. The results from the Shoals of Capricorn Programme will contribute towards the development of these strategies regionally and globally.
The Shoals of Capricorn Programme has attracted expertise and interest from research Institutes and Universities from around the world, and will provide the platform and opportunity for integrated multidisciplinary marine research to be carried out by a number of scientists working together towards a common goal. Such a breadth of expertise focused on one area of the ocean offers a rare opportunity to develop techniques and understanding of tropical marine processes that would otherwise be inaccessible through individual efforts. This linking of expertise is essential to achieve the full potential of the research programme and will ensure a wide international distribution of the results.
The Shoals of Capricorn Programme is committed to training and education. Research, training through research and education will provide the regional and local skills base necessary for future research, conservation and community based stewardship for the protection and management of local marine resources and biodiversity. The Programme will encourage regional and international links between scientists and institutes necessary for long term skills development in the region. The exchange of expertise and technology is fundamental to achieving these goals.
The work will be carried out from field bases in Seychelles and Mauritius, including the Mauritian islands of Rodrigues and Cargados Carajos Shoals (St Brandon). Studies on the oceanic plateau will be carried out from research vessels. Work will commence in 1998, the International Year of the Oceans. Findings will be lodged with the host nations and distributed to the international scientific community in the year 2000.
In collaboration with host nation scientists The Shoals of Capricorn Programme offers a rare opportunity for marine scientists from multiple disciplines to work together, focusing on this important part of the ocean, addressing scientific and technical issues. This integrated approach to the science will improve our understanding of the interdependence between the physical and biological processes in the marine ecosystem and will have important practical implications in the development of management strategies for Large Marine Ecosystems globally.
The scientific research will address targeted aspects of the geophysical, hydrographic, oceanographic and biological processes, creating a comprehensive framework for the research and the results. Hydrographic and bathymetric mapping of the Plateau and its geological formations will form the foundation upon which the oceanographic processes, physical and chemical can be overlaid. The biological processes, biodiversity and productivity can then be viewed within the context of these physical parameters. Shoals is committed to developing institutional links for the future development of research and management in the region. Strong institutional links and collaboration between local and international scientists are essential to the development of such research strategies.
Biological Factors - Biodiversity
Studies will include investigations of primary production, habitats and marine biodiversity. Remote sensing techniques will be used to map resources such as sources and sinks of fish and other important marine larvae. These resource maps are intrinsic to identifying areas of ecological importance in the area and the subsequent development of sustainable management strategies.
Physical Oceanographic Factors
Questions to be investigated include; What effect does the Plateau have on the ocean currents, sea surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions of the western Indian Ocean? Does it affect the unique and powerful monsoon systems of the Indian Ocean? Models developed from this research will improve our understanding of this phenomena. The seasonal reversal of the surface currents in the Indian Ocean that coincide with the monsoons and associated atmospheric conditions, could be the Indian Ocean equivalent, or even have effect on the famous El Ninjo Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the Pacific.
Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Analysis of past climatic changes locked away in geological records, will provide a better understanding of current and future climate and sea level changes. Oceanographic monitoring systems will be established providing real time data on sea level change, an important issue for island and coastal states.
Geological Factors
This research will investigate carbonate processes, sediment processes, seabed geotechnics and habitats, pollution and human impacts such as tourist pressure, urban expansion in the coastal areas and the existence of pollutants in the remote oceanic regions, indicating pollutant pathways on a regional and global scale.
Archaeological Studies
The shallow waters and cyclonic conditions of this region have caused many vessels to founder in the past. Some of these archaeological sites will provide the opportunity to assess important oceanographic processes over a known time scale, and provide an insight to historical events in the region.
Hyperbaric Studies
Diving is one of the most important tools for studying fine structure and complex patterns in the marine environment. The Shoals of Capricorn Programme will involve a large number of divers, providing an opportunity to study the physiological effects of diving on the human body, improving our understanding, and therefore our capacity, to work and study marine ecosystems underwater. These studies have important implications for future marine research.
The schools education programme will be initially implemented in Seychelles and Rodrigues (Mauritius) as a pilot scheme. Once successfully established, it can then be implemented in Mauritius and other countries in the region. The schools education programme has two main objectives, one being developing awareness of marine science and research in the classroom, encouraging students to consider marine science as a potential career and to understand the importance of marine environmental issues. The other encouraging community stewardship and co-management of marine resources by developing a two way exchange of information and interaction between the schools and the communities, supported by the mobile marine education unit and the results of the field research, bridging the gap between science and education.
Components of the training and education programmes will include:
Training
The training programme will develop a local and regional training capability by training local personnel as instructors in various field and laboratory techniques, including diving, surveying and monitoring, thus providing continued access to a skills base for the development of future training initiatives within the region. The programme will target government departments, marine park personnel, schoolteachers, students and the community, encouraging sustainable management through community stewardship and co-management of local marine resources.
Marine Resource and Interpretation Centre
This centre will include laboratory facilities and interactive presentations for the schools, general public and tourists, introducing teachers, students and tourists to the local marine environment. It will be a focal point for visiting scientists and function as a local and regional training centre. It will provide the foundation for links between international and regional scientists wishing to continue research and training in the area.
In-service Training for Schoolteachers
The scheme will assist the Ministry of Education with in-service training for teachers in the use of local marine habitats as teaching tools. Participating teachers will develop teaching and student packs to be included in the school curriculum and participate in the initial stages of developing the marine resource and interpretation centre and the mobile marine education unit, encouraging the teachers to take `ownership' of these initiatives.
Mobile Marine Education Unit
A mobile marine education unit will support the teachers in the schools, thus avoiding additional stress on existing school facilities. This unit will include touch tanks, microscopes and presentation materials, and will help develop local marine environmental initiatives in the schools, communities and hotels, encouraging a responsible attitude towards the marine environment and its resources. This will include presentations on local marine ecology and school plays performed in the community, addressing specific environmental issues within the region, developing an awareness of local and global marine environmental issues in the schools and the communities. The students will encourage a responsible attitude within the community towards the environment, by informing the adults in the community the importance of protecting the marine environment and resources for future benefits.
School Competitions and Educational Links
Selected schools in Seychelles, Mauritius and the UK will be invited to design a marine science research project to be implemented on the Shoals programme. This will raise the profile of marine science in the media and the classrooms, and is aimed at developing twinning between the schools for future communication and mutual sharing of knowledge and experience, emphasising the global nature of marine issues and the problems that face coastal communities. School twinning through the use of the Internet and exchange of data collected through similar monitoring projects (such as plankton samples, water temperature, salinity and beach litter surveys) will be developed into teaching resources and case studies for Geography or Environmental Science courses.
Video conference links between the UK and the field will be developed, allowing participants to communicate with scientists at work and twinned school students. These will be held in the Royal Geographical Society lecture theatre (750 seats - the largest video conference facility in London).
Tourist education programme
In conjunction with the mobile education unit, a marine environmental education programme for hotel staff, tourists, tour operators and a Boat Operators Association will be established as part of the schools and community education programme. This will introduce tourists to the local marine environment, addressing what they see in the habitats adjacent to the hotels, and encouraging tourists to appreciate the various habitats and associated fauna, their function and ecological importance. This will include the establishment of mooring buoys in ecologically sensitive areas by local stake holders. A marine environmental `code of conduct' will be developed during training courses, establishing `ownership' of the concept and will be supported and implemented from within the industry. This `code of conduct' will be produced in poster and pamphlet form along with other explanatory posters and will be distributed throughout the tourist industry and in-flight `passenger packs'.
Conclusion, Funding and Benefits
The concept of Large Marine Ecosystems includes the management of large inaccessible areas of ocean. To be able to incorporate the breadth of knowledge, skills and techniques required for the development and implementation of management strategies for such massive areas requires large ambitious programmes, subdivided into manageable components. Such Programmes are expensive, but essential if the problems associated with the oceans are to be addressed.
The main constraint on marine research is the huge cost of working at sea. By demonstrating the existence of valuable benefits the corporate sector will be encouraged to support marine research. To meet this requirement the Shoals of Capricorn Programme is committed to raising the profile of marine environmental issues and research in UK, Mauritius, Seychelles, India, USA, Canada and Australia. Raising the awareness of the general public on these matters will ultimately encourage political commitment to marine research. This will generate increased support from the corporate sector and international funding agencies for such ambitious but necessary programmes. Benefits for sponsors of the Shoals of Capricorn Programme will, amongst other advantages, include an opportunity for branding on:
Raising the public profile of the Shoals of Capricorn Programme name and logo will allow sponsors to benefit both indirectly by association and directly in PR and publicity campaigns. Such involvement will provide considerable advantage and positive exposure for sponsors to a wide international audience over a long period of time.
The use of marine images is now fairly common practice in advertising, implying that the company or its products are eco-friendly. Supporting marine research initiatives will bring added value to such advertising campaigns, improving the public image and the marketing potential of corporate sponsors. Market research clearly shows that the public are becoming increasingly concerned about the state of the environment, and that 86% of consumers prefer to purchase what are perceived to be eco-friendly products or products associated with a cause.
This Programme is an ambitious undertaking and offers a unique opportunity for involvement with a major marine environmental initiative in the western Indian Ocean, incorporating the highest of scientific credentials. A study of this magnitude can only be made possible through a partnership between academic institutions, Non Governmental Organisations the governments, the corporate sector and regional and international funding bodies.
For further information please contact:
Shoals of Capricorn Programme Royal Geographical Society / IBG 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR, UK
Direct tel: +44 (0) 1715913066 Switchboard: +44 (0) 1715913000 Direct fax: +44 (0) 1715913031
E.mail: shoals@rgs.org
