The Russian Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo) has launched a major research initiative aimed at studying marine biological resources along the coasts of 18 African countries in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The launch ceremony of the expedition took place on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at the maritime fishing port of Kaliningrad, Russia, in the presence of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev and other Russian officials.
« Today, we are launching one of the most ambitious projects in the fishing sector: the Great African Expedition. This is a unique event, as no similar research has been conducted since the 1980s. The expedition will assess the aquatic biological resources off the African coasts and open up new fishing areas, » announced Mr. Patrushev during the ceremony. According to Mr. Patrushev, this expedition will allow Russia to evaluate the reserves of aquatic biological resources along the African coasts and identify new fishing areas. He also highlighted the importance of this initiative for Russia and the African countries.
« As we know, Russia ranks among the top five countries in the world in terms of catch volume. Last year, our fishing industry set a record by capturing 5.37 million tons of natural aquatic resources. Thanks to the Great African Expedition, the scope of fishing activities will further expand, » he stated. He also emphasized the positive impact this will have on African countries. « African countries will have access to information on fish stocks, thus contributing to global food security. This will be another important contribution from our country to global food security, » he noted. According to Kirill Kolonchin, director of the All-Russian Research Institute for Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO), the expedition will continue until early 2026. Two Rosrybolovstvo research vessels will be deployed to study the coastal waters. In addition to Russian scientists, researchers from various African coastal countries will also join the expedition, according to VNIRO.
The team of scientists on each vessel will include 12 experts specializing in acoustic, oceanographic, hydrochemical, hydrobiological, and ichthyological research. The research vessel « Atlantniro » will study the coastal areas of Mauritania, Nigeria, Morocco, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Angola. The other vessel, « Atlantida, » will focus on the waters of Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Senegal, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Eritrea.
Source: leconomistemaghrebin
