What Are Underwater Surveys and Why Are They Important?

Underwater surveys are used to check the abundance and diversity of marine life. This is used to keep track of our marine resources, as well as monitor the health and functioning of underwater ecosystems. Surveys also help determine their response to stress, from storms to long-term climate change.

Surveys that We Have Helped Conduct

Over the years we have conducted surveys for various marine research organisations which include National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) – Goa, The Center for Applied Sciences -Thiruvananthapuram, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).

We helped conduct an underwater video biodiversity survey of Bangaram Island, Lakshadweep for the Ministry of Tourism of Lakshadweep Islands through NIO in 1998.

Over several years, we have led pre and post monsoon surveys of Netrani Island in Karnataka, Grande Island in Goa and of Muttom, Enayam and Kollam in Kerala for CMFRI.

We were also the very first to conduct a underwater survey of Angria Banks, a submerged reef about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, for NIO on their then brand new research vessel R.V. Sindhu Sadhana in January, 2014.

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We conducted an underwater survey for the World Wide Fund For Nature – India (WWF-India), Goa Marine Programme Office, to assess the impact of tourism on the coral reef at Grande Island, Goa. The study involved doing line transects and collecting video footage of anchor damage, algal growth etc. in 2015.

We also assisted an underwater biodiversity survey conducted by  World Wide Fund For Nature – India (WWF-India) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS India) at Netrani Island, Karnataka, in November 2019.