Predicting How the Western Indian Ocean Will Look

Research is underway to study the ocean dynamics of the Mozambique Channel with a view to predicting what the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) will look like from now until 2100.

Nelson Mandela University (NMU) scientist, Professor Mike Roberts heads up the UK-SA Bilateral Research Chair in Ocean Science and Marine Food Security. This is jointly hosted by the university in South Africa, and the University of Southampton, UK.

According to an article on the NMU website, Professor Roberts and his team are using oceanographic instruments to collect data about amongst other things, currents, temperature, ocean productivity, habitats, fish, and human populations.

In this case the focus is specifically the western part of the Indian Ocean including South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Comores and Somalia. The region, Professor Roberts explains, has the second largest population in the world directly dependent on the Indian Ocean for food security and livelihoods.