The main objective of this survey was to obtain an assessment of the demersal and pelagic resources of the continental shelf and upper slope of Cabo Verde,  to determine oceanographic conditions (physical, chemical and biological), as well as sampling for microplastics, recording the occurrence of marine debris and mapping of nutrients and contaminants in commercial fish, regarding food safety.

Survey Type: Ecosystem Survey
Local participants: 16 (8 women)
Participants from Norway: 8
International participants: 2

More specific objectives included to carry out:

• a combined demersal and pelagic survey for biomass estimation of resources.
• standard biological sampling of priority species (including length, weight and maturity)
• sampling of fish for nutrients, contaminants, and presence of microplastics.
• standard sampling of environmental variables with CTD and water sampling (salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, dissolved nutrients, pH, total alkalinity, chlorophyll a).
• measuring currents with ADCPs
• sampling of phytoplankton, zooplankton and ichthyoplankton. and ichthyoplankton.
• sampling with manta trawl for the presence of microplastics in surface waters and with a water pump for microplastics in the water column
• underway pCO2 measurements in surface water.
• CVOO Mooring station hydrographic and plankton sampling.

The overall objective of this study is to determine the reference condition of benthic species, communities and ecosystem and the abiotic environment at a range of sites, stretching from shallow areas on the coast to the deep waters of the continental slope, in the seas of Mauritania and Senegal. The data will 1) serve as a baseline for the assessment of environmental impact of present and future oil and gas activity in the area and 2) document the occurrence of long-lived and sensitive ecosystem requiring particular management attention.

Survey Type: Environmental monitoring (oil/gas)
Local participants: 17 (2 women) 
Participants from Norway: 10 
International participants: 0

The overall objective will be achieved by sampling all of the below mentioned ecosystem components.

• Water quality
• Nutrients, Chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen and turbidity
• Ocean acidification parameters (pH and total alkalinity)
• Sediment quality
• Grain size and organic content
• Metal concentration
• PAH and other oil-related hydrocarbon agents
• Infauna species composition
• Biodiversity indices
• Environmental quality indices
• Benthic habitat distribution
• Multibeam bathymetry
• Substrate characterization
• Occurrence of long-lived sensitive benthic species
• Demersal fish and crustacean communities
• Species occurrence
• Biological condition
• Megafauna (occurrence of marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds etc.)

The second leg of the 2020 survey was to study the transboundary demersal resources off Northwest Africa. The survey was expected to conclude in Las Palmas at the end of March. However, due to the corona virus outbreak and uncertain situation worldwide, the decision was taken to terminate the survey earlier and return the vessel to its home port in Bergen, Norway.

Survey Type: Transboundary Demersal Survey
Local participants: 18 (2 women)
Participants from Norway: 4
International participants: 3

The main objectives of this leg were to:

• Obtain a synoptic overview of distribution and abundance of deeper-shelf and upper slope demersal resources that may be shared across the region;
• Obtain information on demersal fish abundance, species and size composition, and diversity;
• Map the environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, dissolved O2, chlorophyll-a, dissolved inorganic nutrients, photosynthetic active radiation, pH and Total Alkalinity), including sampling along historical hydrographic transects;
• Map occurrence and abundance of zooplankton and ichthyoplankton (only during Leg 2.1);
• Obtain information on benthic habitats;
• Record occurrence of marine debris (as they occur in the bottom trawl) and test a new sampling protocol developed for use onboard Dr. Fridtjof Nansen;
• Sample sediment in selected localities for paleo-reconstruction aimed at understanding occurrence of OMZ (similar to what was done in the BCC area in 2019, in cooperation with the IAEA, Monaco);
• Provide opportunities for on-the-job training of scientists and technicians on various aspects of survey implementation.

This survey was carried out with the aim to collect samples, visual data, and map seabed habitats in support of improved fisheries management in an ecosystem context. The survey focused also on recording the occurrence of marine debris.

Survey Type: Bottom habitat studies
Number of participants
Local participants: 15 (4 women)
Participants from Norway: 6
International participants: 2

The main objective of this leg was to:

• Improve information on bathymetry using Multibeam echosounding and sub-bottom profiler;
• Improve knowledge on associated macro- and mega epibenthic organisms by videos, photos and beam trawling. Also record occurrence of marine debris;
• Collect samples of macro- and epibenthic organisms, including genetic samples for connectivity studies (especially cold water corals);
• Improve knowledge on sediment characteristics, including infauna, by collecting grab samples, as appropriate (some of the areas are rocky and this sampling will therefore not be possible);
• Study oceanographic conditions with CTD and currents by ADCP/LADCP, including nutrients and pH.