Resources

Sustainable Oceans, Livelihoods and food Security Through Increased Capacity in Ecosystem research in the Western Indian Ocean(SOLSTICE-WIO) project (2017-2021)

Data set information

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General  
Data holding centreBritish Oceanographic Data Centre
CountryUnited Kingdom  United Kingdom
Time periodFrom 1 Oct 2017 to 31 Dec 2021
OngoingYes
Geographical area

Tanzania: Pemba Channel; Kenya: North Kenya Banks; South Africa: Cold Ridge Agulhas Bank

Observations 
Parameters

Particulate total and organic carbon concentrations in the water column; Turbulence in the water column; Raw current meter output parameters; Bathymetry and Elevation; Particulate total and organic nitrogen concentrations in the water column; Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column; Dissolved total and organic nitrogen concentrations in the water column; Wave height and period statistics; Salinity of the water column; Temperature of the water column; Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column; Silicate concentration parameters in the water column; Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies; Solar Radiation; Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column; Platform or instrument orientation; Electrical conductivity of the water column; Nitrite concentration parameters in the water column; Density of the water column; Concentration of silicon species in the water column; Wind strength and direction

Instruments

Wave recorders; fluorometers; current profilers; thermosalinographs; single-beam echosounders; ADVs and turbulence probes; salinometers; nutrient analysers; CTD; current meters; water temperature sensor; meteorological packages

Description 
Summary

Sustainable Oceans, Livelihoods and food Security Through Increased Capacity in Ecosystem research in the Western Indian Ocean (SOLSTICE-WIO) brings together recent advances in marine technologies, local knowledge and research expertise to address challenges facing the Western Indian Ocean region in a cost-effective way via state-of-the-art technology transfer, collaborative environmental and socio-economic research and hands-on training. SOLSTICE-WIO data consists of vertical hydrographic and sea surface measurements of temperature, salinity, conductivity, pressure, oxygen, fluorescence, nutrients, turbulence and solar radiation from multiple locations around the Eastern and Central Agulhas Bank (South Africa) and the Pemba Channel (Tanzania). Additionally, moored time series data with measurements of currents, waves, turbulence and temperature from Eastern and Central Agulhas Bank South Africa are included with this dataset. This dataset contains near real-time hydrographic measurements through the water column obtained from submarine Slocum gliders and Seagliders deployed between Port Alfred and Cape Town (South Africa) and in the Pemba Channel (Tanzania). The submarine vehicles have also been equipped with auxiliary sensors such as turbulence probes and nutrient sensors and data from these platforms have been converted into the international 'Everyone's Gliding Observatories (EGO)' exchange format. Data collection activities at the Eastern and Central Agulhas Bank (South Africa) commenced with the Cold Ridge Cruise I cruise (16 October - 18 October 2018) and concluded at the end of the Cold Ridge II cruise (21 March – 2 April 2019). Both cruises took place on board the R.S. Ellen Khuzwayo. Data collection activates in the Pemba Channel took place between 30 June – 9 July 2019 on board the M.Y. Angra Pequena. The instruments used for SOLSTICE-WIO include CTDs, thermosalinographs, ADCPs, temperature sensors, current meters, turbidity meters, wave meters, salinometers, fluorometers and nutrient analysers. These data were collected to investigate the collapse of the Chokka squid fishery in 2013 in the Agulhas Bank and to understand the environmental controls on the small pelagic fishery within the Pemba Channel for the South African and Tanzanian case studies respectively. The Agulhas Bank is surrounded by a highly productive Benguela Current to the west, and the strong and warm Agulhas Current flowing along its shelf break. It is a highly dynamic region and, despite being well known for its role as a spawning ground for many fish species, including the local “Chokka” squid (Loligo reynaudii), very little work has been done to better understand the ecosystem functioning and oceanography on the bank. Where as in the Pemba Channel, the fishery is a major source of protein for local communities and faces numerous threats to its longevity with inadequate environmental information widely perceived to be detrimental to fisheries management decision making. The two Cold Ridge Cruises in the Agulhas Bank were coordinated by Nelson Mandela University in collaboration with the National Oceanography Centre. The Pemba Channel cruise was coordinated by the National Oceanography Centre in collaboration with Nelson Mandela University, the Institute of Marine Sciences Zanzibar, the Tanzanian Fisheries Research Institute and the Zanzibar Maritime Authority.

OriginatorsKenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
National Oceanography Centre (Southampton)
Nelson Mandela University, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research
Data web sitehttps://www.bodc.ac.uk
Availability 
OrganisationBritish Oceanographic Data Centre
AvailabilityLicence
ContactPolly Hadžiabdić (Head of the BODC Requests Team)
Address

British Oceanographic Data Centre
Joseph Proudman Building 6 Brownlow Street
Liverpool
Merseyside
L3 5DA
United Kingdom

Telephone+44 (0)782 512 0946
Emailenquiries@bodc.ac.uk
Administration 
Collating centreBritish Oceanographic Data Centre
Local identifier1048_SOLSTICE-WIO
Global identifier7011
Last revised2021-04-21