Research boat assesses Vava’u ecosystem [1]
Monday, February 17, 2014 - 16:00. Updated on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 - 09:34.
An expedition is currently underway in Vava’u to assess the Island group’s ecosystem.
The expedition is being conducted with 164-foot research vessel carrying a team of biologists including several Tongan specialists.
The mission has been organised between the Tongan Government, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SREP) and the Waitt Foundation.
The Waitt foundation is an American based organisation that supports a variety of national and international programmes with a primary focus on ocean conservation.
The objective of the expedition is to identify sites with conservation value. According to Lupe Matoto of the Department of Environment “A team of experienced biologists, which includes several Tongan specialists, will participate in this major expedition to conduct rapid biodiversity and ecological assessments (BIORAP) of both land and marine sites throughout the archipelago”.
The expedition was launched on February 13 and will end on February 28.