Studying seawater to learn about ocean acidification
24-25 September 2019, Dakar, Senegal. Since 2017, the EAF-Nansen Programme has included studies of ocean acidification as part of its research program. In this regard, the laboratory on the research vessel (R/V) Dr Fridtjof Nansen was equipped with instrumentation for measurements of seawater pH and total alkalinity.
 Workshop participants on board the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen © IMR |
In September 2019, a workshop was organized on board the vessel to showcase the equipment and give an overview of ocean acidification, and how it is studied. David Cervantes and Agnethe Hertzberg, experts in chemical oceanography from the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Norway, led the workshop and introduced the methodology of how to measure chemical change in the oceanic carbonate system.
The participants were trained how to measure seawater pH and total alkalinity, followed by practical exercises in the lab and a sit-down session with carbonate chemistry calculation exercises. Over the course of the two-day workshop, the participants learned new skills to be used not only on board R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen but also in respective home countries.
In the coming months, many of the workshop participants will be joining cruises with R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen, allowing them to test their newly acquired skills. Having people with hands-on experience taking part in the data collecting process will be a positive addition to the research teams.
The participants came from marine institutes and universities from Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and The Gambia, and the workshop was a good meeting place for all involved to discuss future cooperation and ideas in the field of climate change and ocean acidification.
The EAF-Nansen Programme "Supporting the Application of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management considering Climate and Pollution Impacts" is an initiative to support the implementation of the ecosystem approach in the management of marine fisheries. The aim is to promote sustainable utilization of marine living resources and improved protection of the marine environment. The program is executed by FAO in close collaboration with IMR in Norway, and funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
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