January 30, 2008:Today the Tangaroa, New-Zealand's Antarctic research vessel, departed from Wellington and is heading due south to undertake the New Zealand IPY-CAML project.
New Zealand is conducting a major biological survey of the Ross Sea, in the Antarctic, as part of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) and International Polar Year (IPY). Forty four people including 24 scientists and 18 crew will take part in an eight-week voyage aboard RV Tangaroa from January 30th to mid March 2008.
The data collected will provide baseline information from the Southern Ocean and Ross Sea environment that can be used to help monitor the effects of climate change in the Ross Sea region. With a biodiversity focus, the voyage will collect samples of living material from the sea surface to the sea floor, from microscopic to mega-size across a wide range of environmental and geographic gradients. This includes collecting biological samples and capturing images of the sea floor down to depths of 4000m, in unexplored areas. The results will feed into New Zealand’s marine research programme in the Ross Sea region, and will support our commitment to improving sustainable management of the toothfish fishery. This provides important information to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) which is part of the Antarctic Treaty System. The voyage also has strong links with other key research programmes including International Polar Year (IPY), Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML), (part of the Census of Marine Life (CoML)) and New Zealand’s Oceans Survey 20/20.
----
From February until mid-March 2008, New Zealand scientists are embarking on an eight-week voyage to the Ross Sea to survey the marine environment and explore the variety of life forms (biodiversity) in the region. This is part of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life and scientists on board will also contribute to the NZ Science Learning Hub for teachers and students. Follow all CAML expeditions routes on the CAML-Cousteau Expedition tracking page.