MARINE SCIENCE TO HELP SAVE THE OCEAN

  • Sentinel Species Research
    Webinar: Cetacean Science and Conservation
    Listen and engage with experts on a variety of topics related to cetacean science and conservation
  • News
    Podcast: Finance – Protecting the Ocean
    Ocean Matters is getting down to business. That’s the business of investing in the ocean, its future as well as the communities that rely on it. In this episode, Dr Helen Czerski speaks with Karen Sack, Executive Director of ORRAA
  • Improving MPA ManagementSentinel Species Research
    Drifting Fishing Gear Poses Significant Risks to Marine Protected Areas
    A team of scientists has shown the potential harm that dFADs could cause to MPAs. Their study found more than a third of dFADs posed a risk to biodiversity in the Chagos Archipelago MPA.
What we do
Our Indian Ocean focussed research programme is advancing the understanding of Marine Protected Areas - so they can be better managed to provide the maximum amount of protection. Our highly collaborative and interdisciplinary projects are led by some of the world's leading marine scientists who are pushing the boundaries of their fields.

A healthy ocean is
vital to sustaining all
life on Earth – not just
the animals and plants
that live below the waves

70%
of the Earth is ocean
91%
of species in the ocean are yet to be discovered
70%
of the oxygen we breathe is made in the ocean
OUR RESEARCH
The Indian ocean is one of the Earth's most exploited oceans. A large Marine Protected Area located in the middle of the Indian ocean provides an incredible opportunity to create an ocean observatory - a place where scientists can investigate complex marine ecosystems in the absence of direct human influence.
Coral Reef Resilience
The impact of climate change has been acutely felt on coral reefs across the Indian Ocean, including areas previously shown to be some of the healthiest coral reefs in the region.
Sentinel Species Research
Our work is building a detailed picture of how important and mobile species such as turtles, seabirds, sharks and rays travel across the Indian Ocean
Improving MPA Management
Scientific research carried out in the Indian Ocean is being used to inform the management of Marine Protected Areas and help governments support international commitments such as the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 14.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
  • Coral Reef Resilience
    Coral Reef Fish in the Indian Ocean Region
  • Improving MPA Management
    Social Drivers for Shark Fishing Amongst Sri Lankan and Indian Fishers
  • Sentinel Species Research
    The Ecology of Sea Turtles in the Indian Ocean Region
  • Sentinel Species Research
    The Ecology and Ecosystem Roles of Reef Sharks in the Indian Ocean MPA
Scientists
More than 75 scientists from 24 institutions and six countries are working together to uncover the ocean's hidden secrets - and find new ways to protect it