Russian scientists complete major study of African waters

An expedition has gathered data to boost sustainable fishing and strengthen scientific cooperation with African coastal nations

Russian scientists have finished the Great African Expedition, a two-year coastal survey of aquatic biological resources off Africa’s coast, the Russian government reported on Friday.  

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev noted that the expedition, which began in August 2024, studied the potential for developing domestic fisheries in remote marine areas and strengthening cooperation with African partners.  

The government said the survey assessed the state of aquatic biological resources in the waters of Morocco, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique. 

The deputy minister emphasized that the data gathered had “practical significance for ensuring sustainable, efficient, and environmentally safe fishing,” adding that it was “the first such large-scale study in the modern history of our country.” 

One outcome is the expectation that the Russian catch in Morocco’s Atlantic fishing zone could increase from about 60,000 to 90,000-100,000 tons per year, mainly mackerel and horse mackerel. Scientific cooperation was strengthened with coastal countries, including a fisheries research agreement with Mozambique, and the first Russia‑Sierra Leone Fisheries Commission allocated a catch quota of 40,000 tons and access for 20 Russian vessels.  

Ilya Shestakov, the head of Rosrybolovstvo (Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries), said the information gathered will be used to organize fishing in partnership with coastal countries. 

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“Scientists are currently continuing to analyze the data obtained during the expedition and prepare recommendations for Russian fishermen,” said in the statement.  

The Great African Expedition was launched in August 2024 at the marine fishing port in Kaliningrad, Russia, with two research vessels, Atlantida and Atlantniro, and teams of specialists in oceanology, ichthyology and related fields. 

The project aimed to survey aquatic biological resources in the exclusive economic zones of African coastal states. It was designed to assess biomass, species abundance and other characteristics of fish to support sustainable fishing. 

Reports in October noted that the bottom‑resource research phase had been completed in two African states. In Sierra Leone, 221 fish species and 111 crustaceans were recorded, while in Guinea‑Bissau, 300 fish and 56 crustaceans were documented.

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