ANDR – Highlights from the Start of 2025
The African Network of Deep-water Researchers (ANDR) is building momentum as we move through 2025. Here we bring you highlights from recent events and training, and spotlight ongoing activities within the network.
Highlights
- Project Development
- Schmidt Ocean Institute proposals
- African Depths Project
- Learning and Development
- BAIT project
- DOOS ECR leadership summit
- Research Spotlight
- OceanX and OceanQuest ‘Around Africa Expedition’
- Events
- 3rd UN Ocean Conference
If you would like to hear more about any of these events, or have any questions, please get in touch with Kirsty McQuaid ([email protected]) or Angela Nyangwe ([email protected]).
Project Development
Schmidt Ocean Institute proposals (June 2025)
Members of ANDR have collaborated to develop two Expressions of Interest for deep-sea research in West Africa, submitted to the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) for expeditions in 2027. Led by ANDR members Dr Samuel Popoola and Dr Unyime Umoh from Nigeria, the proposals include a multidisciplinary team from West and East Africa, with East African researchers participating to gain experience for future proposals. The projects focus on continental margin habitats, including cold seeps.
Following this, SOI Expressions of Interest are invited for South Africa and adjacent Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction and the Western Indian Ocean, scheduled for 2028 and 2029 respectively. We will apply lessons learned from the process in West Africa to develop Expressions of Interest for these regions. These efforts aim to ensure strong regional representation and coordination in shaping the science priorities for upcoming research expeditions.
Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved and contribute to this important planning process!
African Depths Project (March 2025)
A new project is underway through ANDR, looking to address several priority actions identified in the 2024 ANDR report on strengthening capacity for deep-water research in Africa. The African Depths Project, funded by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation, aims to:
- Understand existing deep-water research infrastructure, knowledge baselines, and active research within a case study region.
- Design project proposals for future deep-sea research and funding applications through an in-person workshop.
Since launching, ANDR members have been actively engaged in selecting a suitable case study region, with the Gulf of Guinea and the Western Indian Ocean emerging as the areas of greatest interest. Reviews of information and knowledge for select countries within these broad regions are expected to begin shortly, with contributions from a team of ANDR scientists.
Learning and Development
BAIT Project – Cabo Verde (February 2025)
A project focused on enhancing deep-sea ecosystem monitoring in Cabo Verde, called ‘Building Local Capacity to Protect National Marine Biodiversity (BAIT)’, was launched in 2023. As part of this project, hands-on training in low cost offshore survey techniques using drift camera systems was offered to researchers from Cabo Verde and several other African countries. ANDR played a role in connecting BAIT with Knowledge Exchange Fellows to expand the reach of the programme and support knowledge transfer across Africa.
Drift camera systems offer a practical solution for conducting offshore research in regions with limited infrastructure and serve as an efficient tool for monitoring biodiversity in remote and mesophotic habitats. The BAIT Knowledge Exchange Fellows were introduced to an affordable drift camera system and gained hands-on experience in designing and carrying out offshore camera surveys, analyzing video footage, and extracting ecological information.
Many of the Knowledge Exchange Fellows selected for participation are members of ANDR – Olusola Adeoye (Nigeria), Sonigitu Ekpe (Nigeria), Charles Makio (Kenya), Hendrina Kadila (Namibia), Vanessa Lopes (Cabo Verde), and Oluyemisi Oluwadare (Nigeria).
You can read more on the project here.
DOOS Early Career Researcher leadership summit (May 2025)
Three members of ANDR – Sheena Talma (Seychelles), Olusola Adeoye (Nigeria), and Kirsty McQuaid (South Africa) – were invited to participate in a leadership summit hosted by the Deep Ocean Observing Strategy (DOOS) at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Falmouth USA.
Bringing together 13 participants from across the globe – including representatives from New Zealand, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Australia, Argentina, Mauritius, USA, Italy, Costa Rica, and Indonesia – the summit aimed to strengthen leadership skills and promote collaboration in the deep-ocean observing community.
Discussions and activities focused on self awareness in leadership, understanding roles in scientific networks and communities and envisioning the future of deep ocean observing.
Participants also worked in groups to explore the question: “How can we build a deep ocean community to increase impact?”. Their collective thoughts were presented at the DOOS Annual Meeting, contributing to ongoing conversations about inclusivity, innovation and global collaboration in deep-sea science.
Through their contributions, ANDR members helped ensure African voices were part of a broader, global dialogue about the future of deep-ocean research and collaboration.
Research Spotlight
OceanX and OceanQuest ‘Around Africa Expedition’ (February 2025)
In February 2025, several ANDR members were involved in the ‘Around Africa Expedition’, a joint initiative of OceanX and OceanQuest. The expedition took place on the state of the art research and media vessel OceanXplorer, sailing from Comoros to the Canary Islands with port stops in Cape Town, Walvis Bay and Cabo Verde. This expedition focused on deep seamount and ecosystem exploration, as well as high-resolution mapping.
The first leg of the mission, which covered the science transit from Comoros to Cape Town, was co-led by ANDR member Dr. Lara Atkinson from the South African Environmental Observation Network. This leg brought together 14 researchers from 6 African countries (South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, and Comoros) with four researchers from the Global North, and included both seasoned experts and early career researchers (ECRs). ANDR played a role in facilitating participation by African ECRs, and ANDR researchers onboard included Bibiana Nassongole (Mozambique), Sinothando Shibe (South Africa), and Brishan Kalyan (South Africa).
The team carried out extensive fieldwork, including remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives at depths between 150 m and 2500 m, high resolution seafloor mapping, oceanographic data collection, and biodiversity surveys. The primary focus was the study of seamounts in the region, including Walters Shoal Seamount, a nearby unnamed seamount, and Africana Seamount. These efforts produced valuable new data, high-resolution seabed maps and imagery, and insights into the benthic ecology of the African deep sea. It also equipped the researchers involved with skills in deep-sea sampling and preparation for such expeditions, an important step towards advancing deep-sea science on the continent.
Events
ANDR at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference (June 2025)
ANDR coordinators co-developed a town hall event at the One Ocean Science Congress (OOSC) – the scientific lead-up to the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France – together with Towards IPOS and the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative. The event, “Connecting the Depths: Collaborative Deep-Ocean Networks Shaping Ocean Governance”, explored the role of deep-ocean science networks in bridging the gap between knowledge generation and policy implementation. Sheena Talma (Oxford University and Talma Consultancy), an ANDR member, contributed as a panelist. ANDR was also invited to participate in several side events during UNOC, including sessions hosted by Senckenberg Nature Research and the Challenger 150 Programme.
