SEA Collaborating with WHOI to Study the Ocean’s Twilight Zone!

Porter Hoagland, senior research specialist, WHOI; SEA faculty member
Rene Francolini, Research Assistant, Govindarajan laboratory, WHOI

This morning we sailed from the Bermuda exclusive economic zone (EEZ) into the “area beyond national jurisdiction” (aka the “high seas”) in deepwater (about 5,000 meters) on the Cramer. Our progress is marked by twice-a-day collections of ocean water as well as surface and deep-ocean net tows. It was an occasion for the first meeting on the high seas of the marine policy class, providing an opportunity to discuss the current negotiations at the United Nations on a new treaty governing conservation of the biological diversity of the high seas.

While in Bermuda, we heard from our friends and local experts Tammy Warren, Robbie Smith, and Kevin Mayall about the headway made by this small island on managing its marine resources. The government’s ideas include developing deepwater fisheries capacity, jump-starting marine finfish aquaculture, and investigating renewable energy. All would be planned to achieve a sustainable use of Bermuda’s slice of the oceans.

Read the full post on the SEA Currents blog>