Scientists on whale of a voyage
damian.george@stuff.co.nz
Scientists will explore areas of the Antarctic never before studied when they embark on a sixweek voyage today.
The 21 scientists will be part of a 40-strong crew heading to Ross Sea, in the Southern Ocean, to assess the effectiveness of the largest marine protected area, which was opened in the sea a year ago.
The scientists travel aboard the Niwa research boat Tangaroa, learning more about the sea and sea life, and to deploy monitoring equipment to measure any changes.
Niwa principal scientist Dr Matt Pinkerton, who is leading the research programme, said there were ‘‘crucial knowledge gaps’’ in the Ross Sea.
The marine protected area had been granted permission to operate for 35 years, at which time its future would be assessed.
The research programme was the first to bring together information from satellites, earthsystem models, fishing vessels, Antarctic field stations, and research voyages such as this one, Pinkerton said.
It would lay the foundation for internationally significant research on the effects of fishing and climate change, he said.
Voyage leader Dr Richard O’Driscoll said scientists would also take samples of fish living close to the seabed that might be affected by the toothfish fishery.
‘‘It’s not about trying to predict a response, but knowing how many are there so we can continue to monitor them over time.’’
Thirty-one research buoys will be deployed, including 10 owned by the MetService, each of which can send information back to research teams in Wellington.
The scientists will also gather information about the outflow of deep Antarctic water and use special equipment to listen for the presence of whales.
The Ross Sea continental slope was probably a hot spot for sperm whales at one time, but they were rarely seen there now.
‘‘The acoustic data will tell us if sperm whales are still visiting the Ross Sea,’’ Pinkerton said.
The voyage is jointly funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Niwa, and the University of Auckland.
‘‘Data will tell us if sperm whales are still visiting the Ross Sea.’’ Niwa principal scientist Dr Matt Pinkerton