Hatchet fish caught at a depth of 600m

A new project led by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) plans to unveil the mysteries of seamounts in the southern Indian Ocean, and help improve conservation and management of marine resources in the area.A team of the world's leading experts, paired with scientists from the western Indian Ocean region, has just joined the Norwegian research vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen.Departure... Leaving Reunion Island on the evening of November 12, 2009, the vessel is sailing towards the southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, where it will study six seamounts rising from the ocean floor located between 32°00' S and 41°00' S, before ending its voyage in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on 20 December. Sarah Gotheil, Marine Programme Officer at IUCN, is onboard the vessel, capturing every aspect of the work. TUESDAY 17 NOVEMBER - HITTING THE HIGH SEASThis first week - half of which was spent on land and the other half on the vessel - may well have been the most hectic week out of the whole expedition.The first part of the scientific team arrived on Reunion Island on November 7, followed a day later by the other part of the team coming from South Africa and Madagascar.It was the first time that we all met - 15 people of eight different nationalities (French, Swiss, South African, Malagasy, Mauritian, German, British and Norwegian) who were going to spend six weeks together on a vessel in the middle of the Indian Ocean.We spent Sunday and Monday discussing the finalisation of the cruise plans, including the location and number of stations we would survey and the surveying methods we would use at each investigation point.An unknown species of squid, caught at a depth of between 45-70m The meeting ran really smoothly. But our arrival at the port on Tuesday morning was a bit chaotic. Traffic delays meant that as we arrived at the dock, we just had enough time to throw our luggage into our respective cabins, and welcome a group of local schoolchildren, showing them everything from the laboratories, the acoustic room, the research equipment, the kitchen, the dining room, the wheelhouse, to the TV/library area and the gym.After a few intense hours, we finally got a chance to get familiar with our new home and its friendly Norwegian crew.But it didn't take long before a black cloud spoiled this beautiful sunny day.We got informed that we wouldn't be able to leave the next day, as planned, as the ethanol that we were expecting from South Africa had not yet arrived.Unknown species... The alcohol is a key product, as it is used for species preservation, thus it was not thinkable leaving without it.We ended up losing a precious day and half, out of a tight 40 day schedule.At last, at 7pm on November 12, we left the port of Reunion Island.It was a very particular and moving moment, as we realised that we were leaving land and civilisation behind us for quite some time, and that we were all together sharing an adventure, in this confined habitat in the middle of nowhere.The work started slowly but surely, as it will take a few days before getting to the first seamount.The first experts on duty were the birdwatchers, who were lucky enough to see about 1000 sooty terns - the most common species of seabirds in the western Indian Ocean area - on their first day of watch.An unknown species of lightfish We also tried to take some initial oceanographic measurements, which partly failed due to the breaking down of a piece of equipment.The week ended with the launch of the first fish net and the first catches of marine species (pictured).View the Seamount picture gallery for species sighted They give us a little glimpse into the biodiversity of the Indian Ocean and a foretaste of what we might find around the seamounts.We are all thrilled about this adventure, as we know that very few people have been in this area before.We are conscious about the pioneering dimension of this cruise, as very little biological studies have been undertaken to date in the high seas of the Indian Ocean.We are also excited to think that we will most certainly come across species that are new to science - maybe we have already collected some?Sarah Gotheil, Marine Programme Officer at IUCNBBC