Antarctic Marine Census Draws to an End

Crew in blizzard conditions.
(Photo: Glen Walker, NIWA.)

New Zealand's major marine contribution to the International Polar Year (IPY) research programme is about to enter its next phase with the return in late March of the government research vessel RV Tangaroa from Antarctica's Ross Sea.

The 50-day voyage to sample Ross Sea marine life is part of the IPY's Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) project which involves 23 countries and 11 coordinated voyages to survey marine ecosystems and habitats in waters surrounding Antarctica.

Launching the voyage on 29 January, Prime Minister Helen Clark said the data gathered will help decision-making on environmental issues such as climate change and its effect on Southern Ocean ecosystems.

Working round the clock in difficult climate and sea conditions, scientists aimed to explore a variety of life forms living at the sea-surface to the seabed, and film previously unexplored seabed using video cameras capable of filming to depths of 4000 metres.

The scientists and 18 crew encountered some of the heaviest sea ice seen in 30 years before it could reach open waters further south.

Back in New Zealand, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Te Papa and several New Zealand universities will analyse the data collected during the voyage over the next three years. LINZ will ensure the data meets 'data curation standards' and is readily available for future research needs.

"The results will also support New Zealand's commitment to ensuring the sustainable management of fisheries, including the toothfish fishery," Helen Clark said.

The voyage is a collaboration between LINZ, Ministry of Fisheries (MFish), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Antarctica New Zealand, NIWA, New Zealand universities, and both the Italian and United States Antarctic programmes.

The CAML project is run under the auspices of the Government's Ocean Survey 20/20 exploration programme designed to survey New Zealand's total ocean area and its resources. Ocean Survey 20/20, which is coordinated by LINZ, will provide important information to enable New Zealand to more effectively develop and manage its natural ocean resources in a sustainable way.

International Polar Year runs from March 2007 to March 2009 to take in two summer seasons at both Poles. Its purpose is to better understand the land and sea environments of the Arctic and Antarctic, and the role they play in influencing climate change.