Monitoring Ocean Acidification

In May 2018, WIOMSA in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of OC-UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), the IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC), and the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) launched an ocean acidification project in the WIO region, which is aiming at assisting countries to obtain baseline data for the carbonate system in the Western Indian Ocean and to document the ongoing ocean acidification along the coast. Through the project, in May 2018, a call for proposals for establishing ocean acidification observation systems in the field, investigating biological response to ocean acidification using experimental set-ups in the laboratory, or a combination of both from institutions in the WIO region, was issued. The project is being supported by the Government of Sweden through the MASMA Program. Six projects in six countries were selected for implementation and are being carried out by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (Kenya), Mauritius Oceanography Institute and University of Mauritius (Mauritius), University of Eduardo Mondlane (Mozambique), Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (Tanzania), University of Seychelles (Seychelles) and the Oceanographic Research Institute (South Africa).  In February 2019, the principal investigators for the six projects and representatives from WIOMSA, IOC/UNESCO, and the IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) attended the first joint workshop, which was hosted by KMFRI, in Mombasa. The meeting allowed different projects to meet with experts in the region and at the same time connect with international experts to establish new scientific relationships in the WIO region. The three-day workshop was used as an introduction to global ocean acidification resources and networks as well as an introduction to the SDG indicator 14.3.1 methodology, the related metadata, and data files. During the workshop, information about ocean acidification experimentation was shared and there was also a lecture about the uncertainty in ocean acidification measurements. Workshop participants identified existing and missing human capacities and what is required for training; they identified existing technical capacities and possible collaboration to be used for technical training as well as equipment needs. The workshop also addressed existing data management capacities and whether there is a need for training and technical assistance. A common timeline for joint activities (workshops, publications, outreach) was agreed upon in addition to the need to create relevant ocean acidification and related communication activities/possibilities.