BSM-FIDJI
Type | Oceanographic cruise |
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Ship | Alis |
Ship owner | IRD |
Dates | 08/05/2007 - 27/05/2007 |
Chief scientist(s) | PAYRI Claude |
UMR ENTROPIE IRD Centre de Nouméa BP A5 98848 NOUMEA Cedex |
|
DOI | 10.17600/7100030 |
Objective | Biodiversity of the macrophytobenthos and main zoological groups(sponges, ascidians, echinoderms) in lagoon areas and slopes outside the coral systems in the northern and eastern regions of Vanua Levu island, and N'Gau and Kadavu islands in the Fiji archipelago. Pharmacochemistry: looking for active marine substances in sponges, ascidians and brown seaweed (fucoids). Related programmes are CRISP 'Biodiversity and natural substances' and Pharmacochemistry (IRD -UMR152) - Biodiversity of tropical marine fauna and flora (IRD-UMR 7138 "Systematics, Adaptation, Evolution"). Comments on the cruise's progression: Working in Fiji waters required obtaining authorizations beforehand from the Ministry of Fisheries and the Provinces visited. 5 MOU (Memoranda of Understanding) were signed by IRD, the Fisheries Service and the representative from each of the Provinces. These steps took over 15 months of procedures. In addition, before each site study, previous approval had to be obtained from the village chiefs near the study area. These steps undertaken with the heads of the villages (called goligoli) were done on site and before each dive by a Fijian Observer sent by the Suva fisheries service and who was onboard throughout the mission. The custom is called sevusevu, and consists in offering Kava roots to prepare a brew which everyone present will share. All of these steps represent two days in all, taken on the cruise time. |