The Underwater Expedition Aims To Unravel The Mysteries Of The Maldives

(CNN) — Think “Maldives,” and the first images that come to mind for many are rows of over-the-sea luxury villas jutting out from long wooden docks or gorgeous beaches lined with stunningly white sand.
But despite the Maldives being one of the world’s most sought-after vacation spots, not to mention a dream destination for divers, scientists say there’s still a lot to learn about its underwater ecosystems.
Now, the Maldivian government and the British marine research institute Nekton have teamed up to uncover some of these mysteries by launching an ambitious expedition into the country’s uncharted waters. The Nekton Maldives expedition, which starts on September 4 and includes teams of scientists from the Maldives and abroad, plans to conduct extensive research below 30 meters using two high-tech submersibles — one of which can reach up to 1,000 meters deep. The aim is to help the Maldives manage the impact of the global climate crisis. “The Maldives is 99% ocean and just 1% land, sitting an average of 1.5 meters above sea level. As a result, the nation faces a growing threat from rising seas,” a Nekton statement said. “But armed with more knowledge about what’s in their waters, work can begin to protect what lives there and protect the environment these species inhabit, which in turn makes the country more resilient to climate change”. The institute says 10 Maldivian marine scientists have been selected as the first ‘Maldivian Aquanauts’ to lead more than 30 first underwater descents to explore the country’s depths. The first descent will be made by an all-female team of aquanauts. The Omega Seamaster 2 Submersible, shown here exploring the waters of the Seychelles in 2019. Nekton/AP “We are determining the location, health and resilience of our coral reefs, especially the deeper ecosystems about which we know little, so that key habitats can be identified for protection and management,” said Maldives team leader Shafiya Naeem, general director of The Maldives Institute of Marine Research, in a statement. “The reefs that surround our atolls help reduce the impacts of rising sea levels and the increasing frequency and intensity of storms and are the basis of our economies, livelihoods and food.”

A 35 day mission

The RV Odyssey, an expedition ship, will carry scientists from the Maldives, the United Kingdom, India and South Africa on the 35-day mission in the country’s vast waters. The ship has two submarines, each of which can carry a pilot and two scientists. These will be used alongside robotic and autonomous systems and over a dozen research technologies to collect data.
The newer of the two submarines is the REV Ocean-owned Aurelia, which underwent extensive sea trials off Barcelona this summer and is now certified as the world’s most advanced vessel of its type, Nekton said in the statement. The Omega Seamaster 2 will be used to explore up to 500 meters below the surface. Nekton/AP The second submarine, the Omega Seamaster 2, is the same brand that was used on a Nekton expedition to the Seychelles in 2019, where marine explorers “found dozens of new species and mapped previously uncharted waters below 30 meters off the coast.” .
Aurelia will operate at depths of up to 1,000 meters, while Omega Seamaster 2 will be used to explore the first 500 meters below the surface. As for what will be done on the 35-day mission, marine biologists, data scientists and filmmakers will collect species samples, carry out extensive mapping work and film the condition of corals around the Maldives. The University of Oxford, which is taking part in the mission, says scientists will also investigate how ocean life has adapted to the historic rise in sea level caused by melting ice since the last Ice Age, and will explore “in largely unknown and unprotected deep corals and reefs of the Rariphotic Zone, which act as a refuge for animals from shallower waters.’ They will also investigate the relative abundance of the 40 species of shark and 18 rays at the top of the food chain in the Maldivian ocean, which act as a critical indicator of ocean health,” she said in a statement. Among the planned mapping operations is a survey of a seamount in the North Indian Ocean. According to Nekton, all samples and data collected will remain the property of the Maldives — “a departure from some Western-led scientific missions of the past.”

Supporting sustainable tourism development

So what does all this have to do with tourism in the Maldives? The country consists of 26 atolls filled with over 1,000 islands occupied by dozens of resorts, all spread over 90,000 square kilometers. According to the World Bank, the Maldives welcomed more than 1.3 million tourists in 2021 — about 80% of 2019 levels. Tourism makes up about 28% of its GDP. Documenting the state of the country’s waters can support sustainable tourism development, says a Nekton mission briefing: “Reef health is fundamental to the two largest sectors of the Maldivian economy, tourism and fisheries. Apart from from the economic benefit, its coral Reefs provide, it is the first line of defense against waves and storms, which are becoming more frequent and intense.’
Protecting the animal species that live there is also vital, as it “results in a healthier ocean, supporting sustainable fisheries and tourism development,” says the mission briefing, which notes that only manta ray tourism generates approximately US$15 million in annual revenue.

title: “The Underwater Expedition Aims To Unravel The Mysteries Of The Maldives Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-27” author: “Liza Canfield”

(CNN) — Think “Maldives,” and the first images that come to mind for many are rows of over-the-sea luxury villas jutting out from long wooden docks or gorgeous beaches lined with stunningly white sand.
But despite the Maldives being one of the world’s most sought-after vacation spots, not to mention a dream destination for divers, scientists say there’s still a lot to learn about its underwater ecosystems.
Now, the Maldivian government and the British marine research institute Nekton have teamed up to uncover some of these mysteries by launching an ambitious expedition into the country’s uncharted waters. The Nekton Maldives expedition, which starts on September 4 and includes teams of scientists from the Maldives and abroad, plans to conduct extensive research below 30 meters using two high-tech submersibles — one of which can reach up to 1,000 meters deep. The aim is to help the Maldives manage the impact of the global climate crisis. “The Maldives is 99% ocean and just 1% land, sitting an average of 1.5 meters above sea level. As a result, the nation faces a growing threat from rising seas,” a Nekton statement said. “But armed with more knowledge about what’s in their waters, work can begin to protect what lives there and protect the environment these species inhabit, which in turn makes the country more resilient to climate change”. The institute says 10 Maldivian marine scientists have been selected as the first ‘Maldivian Aquanauts’ to lead more than 30 first underwater descents to explore the country’s depths. The first descent will be made by an all-female team of aquanauts. The Omega Seamaster 2 Submersible, shown here exploring the waters of the Seychelles in 2019. Nekton/AP “We are determining the location, health and resilience of our coral reefs, especially the deeper ecosystems about which we know little, so that key habitats can be identified for protection and management,” said Maldives team leader Shafiya Naeem, general director of The Maldives Institute of Marine Research, in a statement. “The reefs that surround our atolls help reduce the impacts of rising sea levels and the increasing frequency and intensity of storms and are the basis of our economies, livelihoods and food.”

A 35 day mission

The RV Odyssey, an expedition ship, will carry scientists from the Maldives, the United Kingdom, India and South Africa on the 35-day mission in the country’s vast waters. The ship has two submarines, each of which can carry a pilot and two scientists. These will be used alongside robotic and autonomous systems and over a dozen research technologies to collect data.
The newer of the two submarines is the REV Ocean-owned Aurelia, which underwent extensive sea trials off Barcelona this summer and is now certified as the world’s most advanced vessel of its type, Nekton said in the statement. The Omega Seamaster 2 will be used to explore up to 500 meters below the surface. Nekton/AP The second submarine, the Omega Seamaster 2, is the same brand that was used on a Nekton expedition to the Seychelles in 2019, where marine explorers “found dozens of new species and mapped previously uncharted waters below 30 meters off the coast.” .
Aurelia will operate at depths of up to 1,000 meters, while Omega Seamaster 2 will be used to explore the first 500 meters below the surface. As for what will be done on the 35-day mission, marine biologists, data scientists and filmmakers will collect species samples, carry out extensive mapping work and film the condition of corals around the Maldives. The University of Oxford, which is taking part in the mission, says scientists will also investigate how ocean life has adapted to the historic rise in sea level caused by melting ice since the last Ice Age, and will explore “in largely unknown and unprotected deep corals and reefs of the Rariphotic Zone, which act as a refuge for animals from shallower waters.’ They will also investigate the relative abundance of the 40 species of shark and 18 rays at the top of the food chain in the Maldivian ocean, which act as a critical indicator of ocean health,” she said in a statement. Among the planned mapping operations is a survey of a seamount in the North Indian Ocean. According to Nekton, all samples and data collected will remain the property of the Maldives — “a departure from some Western-led scientific missions of the past.”

Supporting sustainable tourism development

So what does all this have to do with tourism in the Maldives? The country consists of 26 atolls filled with over 1,000 islands occupied by dozens of resorts, all spread over 90,000 square kilometers. According to the World Bank, the Maldives welcomed more than 1.3 million tourists in 2021 — about 80% of 2019 levels. Tourism makes up about 28% of its GDP. Documenting the state of the country’s waters can support sustainable tourism development, says a Nekton mission briefing: “Reef health is fundamental to the two largest sectors of the Maldivian economy, tourism and fisheries. Apart from from the economic benefit, its coral Reefs provide, it is the first line of defense against waves and storms, which are becoming more frequent and intense.’
Protecting the animal species that live there is also vital, as it “results in a healthier ocean, supporting sustainable fisheries and tourism development,” says the mission briefing, which notes that only manta ray tourism generates approximately US$15 million in annual revenue.

title: “The Underwater Expedition Aims To Unravel The Mysteries Of The Maldives Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-02” author: “Margaret Sylva”

(CNN) — Think “Maldives,” and the first images that come to mind for many are rows of over-the-sea luxury villas jutting out from long wooden docks or gorgeous beaches lined with stunningly white sand.
But despite the Maldives being one of the world’s most sought-after vacation spots, not to mention a dream destination for divers, scientists say there’s still a lot to learn about its underwater ecosystems.
Now, the Maldivian government and the British marine research institute Nekton have teamed up to uncover some of these mysteries by launching an ambitious expedition into the country’s uncharted waters. The Nekton Maldives expedition, which starts on September 4 and includes teams of scientists from the Maldives and abroad, plans to conduct extensive research below 30 meters using two high-tech submersibles — one of which can reach up to 1,000 meters deep. The aim is to help the Maldives manage the impact of the global climate crisis. “The Maldives is 99% ocean and just 1% land, sitting an average of 1.5 meters above sea level. As a result, the nation faces a growing threat from rising seas,” a Nekton statement said. “But armed with more knowledge about what’s in their waters, work can begin to protect what lives there and protect the environment these species inhabit, which in turn makes the country more resilient to climate change”. The institute says 10 Maldivian marine scientists have been selected as the first ‘Maldivian Aquanauts’ to lead more than 30 first underwater descents to explore the country’s depths. The first descent will be made by an all-female team of aquanauts. The Omega Seamaster 2 Submersible, shown here exploring the waters of the Seychelles in 2019. Nekton/AP “We are determining the location, health and resilience of our coral reefs, especially the deeper ecosystems about which we know little, so that key habitats can be identified for protection and management,” said Maldives team leader Shafiya Naeem, general director of The Maldives Institute of Marine Research, in a statement. “The reefs that surround our atolls help reduce the impacts of rising sea levels and the increasing frequency and intensity of storms and are the basis of our economies, livelihoods and food.”

A 35 day mission

The RV Odyssey, an expedition ship, will carry scientists from the Maldives, the United Kingdom, India and South Africa on the 35-day mission in the country’s vast waters. The ship has two submarines, each of which can carry a pilot and two scientists. These will be used alongside robotic and autonomous systems and over a dozen research technologies to collect data.
The newer of the two submarines is the REV Ocean-owned Aurelia, which underwent extensive sea trials off Barcelona this summer and is now certified as the world’s most advanced vessel of its type, Nekton said in the statement. The Omega Seamaster 2 will be used to explore up to 500 meters below the surface. Nekton/AP The second submarine, the Omega Seamaster 2, is the same brand that was used on a Nekton expedition to the Seychelles in 2019, where marine explorers “found dozens of new species and mapped previously uncharted waters below 30 meters off the coast.” .
Aurelia will operate at depths of up to 1,000 meters, while Omega Seamaster 2 will be used to explore the first 500 meters below the surface. As for what will be done on the 35-day mission, marine biologists, data scientists and filmmakers will collect species samples, carry out extensive mapping work and film the condition of corals around the Maldives. The University of Oxford, which is taking part in the mission, says scientists will also investigate how ocean life has adapted to the historic rise in sea level caused by melting ice since the last Ice Age, and will explore “in largely unknown and unprotected deep corals and reefs of the Rariphotic Zone, which act as a refuge for animals from shallower waters.’ They will also investigate the relative abundance of the 40 species of shark and 18 rays at the top of the food chain in the Maldivian ocean, which act as a critical indicator of ocean health,” she said in a statement. Among the planned mapping operations is a survey of a seamount in the North Indian Ocean. According to Nekton, all samples and data collected will remain the property of the Maldives — “a departure from some Western-led scientific missions of the past.”

Supporting sustainable tourism development

So what does all this have to do with tourism in the Maldives? The country consists of 26 atolls filled with over 1,000 islands occupied by dozens of resorts, all spread over 90,000 square kilometers. According to the World Bank, the Maldives welcomed more than 1.3 million tourists in 2021 — about 80% of 2019 levels. Tourism makes up about 28% of its GDP. Documenting the state of the country’s waters can support sustainable tourism development, says a Nekton mission briefing: “Reef health is fundamental to the two largest sectors of the Maldivian economy, tourism and fisheries. Apart from from the economic benefit, its coral Reefs provide, it is the first line of defense against waves and storms, which are becoming more frequent and intense.’
Protecting the animal species that live there is also vital, as it “results in a healthier ocean, supporting sustainable fisheries and tourism development,” says the mission briefing, which notes that only manta ray tourism generates approximately US$15 million in annual revenue.

title: “The Underwater Expedition Aims To Unravel The Mysteries Of The Maldives Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-14” author: “Patricia Silvis”

(CNN) — Think “Maldives,” and the first images that come to mind for many are rows of over-the-sea luxury villas jutting out from long wooden docks or gorgeous beaches lined with stunningly white sand.
But despite the Maldives being one of the world’s most sought-after vacation spots, not to mention a dream destination for divers, scientists say there’s still a lot to learn about its underwater ecosystems.
Now, the Maldivian government and the British marine research institute Nekton have teamed up to uncover some of these mysteries by launching an ambitious expedition into the country’s uncharted waters. The Nekton Maldives expedition, which starts on September 4 and includes teams of scientists from the Maldives and abroad, plans to conduct extensive research below 30 meters using two high-tech submersibles — one of which can reach up to 1,000 meters deep. The aim is to help the Maldives manage the impact of the global climate crisis. “The Maldives is 99% ocean and just 1% land, sitting an average of 1.5 meters above sea level. As a result, the nation faces a growing threat from rising seas,” a Nekton statement said. “But armed with more knowledge about what’s in their waters, work can begin to protect what lives there and protect the environment these species inhabit, which in turn makes the country more resilient to climate change”. The institute says 10 Maldivian marine scientists have been selected as the first ‘Maldivian Aquanauts’ to lead more than 30 first underwater descents to explore the country’s depths. The first descent will be made by an all-female team of aquanauts. The Omega Seamaster 2 Submersible, shown here exploring the waters of the Seychelles in 2019. Nekton/AP “We are determining the location, health and resilience of our coral reefs, especially the deeper ecosystems about which we know little, so that key habitats can be identified for protection and management,” said Maldives team leader Shafiya Naeem, general director of The Maldives Institute of Marine Research, in a statement. “The reefs that surround our atolls help reduce the impacts of rising sea levels and the increasing frequency and intensity of storms and are the basis of our economies, livelihoods and food.”

A 35 day mission

The RV Odyssey, an expedition ship, will carry scientists from the Maldives, the United Kingdom, India and South Africa on the 35-day mission in the country’s vast waters. The ship has two submarines, each of which can carry a pilot and two scientists. These will be used alongside robotic and autonomous systems and over a dozen research technologies to collect data.
The newer of the two submarines is the REV Ocean-owned Aurelia, which underwent extensive sea trials off Barcelona this summer and is now certified as the world’s most advanced vessel of its type, Nekton said in the statement. The Omega Seamaster 2 will be used to explore up to 500 meters below the surface. Nekton/AP The second submarine, the Omega Seamaster 2, is the same brand that was used on a Nekton expedition to the Seychelles in 2019, where marine explorers “found dozens of new species and mapped previously uncharted waters below 30 meters off the coast.” .
Aurelia will operate at depths of up to 1,000 meters, while Omega Seamaster 2 will be used to explore the first 500 meters below the surface. As for what will be done on the 35-day mission, marine biologists, data scientists and filmmakers will collect species samples, carry out extensive mapping work and film the condition of corals around the Maldives. The University of Oxford, which is taking part in the mission, says scientists will also investigate how ocean life has adapted to the historic rise in sea level caused by melting ice since the last Ice Age, and will explore “in largely unknown and unprotected deep corals and reefs of the Rariphotic Zone, which act as a refuge for animals from shallower waters.’ They will also investigate the relative abundance of the 40 species of shark and 18 rays at the top of the food chain in the Maldivian ocean, which act as a critical indicator of ocean health,” she said in a statement. Among the planned mapping operations is a survey of a seamount in the North Indian Ocean. According to Nekton, all samples and data collected will remain the property of the Maldives — “a departure from some Western-led scientific missions of the past.”

Supporting sustainable tourism development

So what does all this have to do with tourism in the Maldives? The country consists of 26 atolls filled with over 1,000 islands occupied by dozens of resorts, all spread over 90,000 square kilometers. According to the World Bank, the Maldives welcomed more than 1.3 million tourists in 2021 — about 80% of 2019 levels. Tourism makes up about 28% of its GDP. Documenting the state of the country’s waters can support sustainable tourism development, says a Nekton mission briefing: “Reef health is fundamental to the two largest sectors of the Maldivian economy, tourism and fisheries. Apart from from the economic benefit, its coral Reefs provide, it is the first line of defense against waves and storms, which are becoming more frequent and intense.’
Protecting the animal species that live there is also vital, as it “results in a healthier ocean, supporting sustainable fisheries and tourism development,” says the mission briefing, which notes that only manta ray tourism generates approximately US$15 million in annual revenue.