Building baseline knowledge of mesophotic ecosystems in Ascension Island MPA
Key Facts
FUNDING SCHEME Darwin Plus
VALUE £375,153
WHERE Ascension Island
Summary
Ascension Island Government aspires to deliver ecosystem-scale, evidence-based management. However, the biodiversity and physical environment beyond diver depths (>99% of the MPA) is poorly understood, compromising efforts to effectively manage fisheries, quantify carbon sequestration and assess threats. This project aims to provide baseline knowledge of mesophotic ecosystems (30-300 m), thus improving their conservation, including incorporation of predicted climate-change induced shifts in their distribution into management plans. The emphasis on training will also build on-island capacity for long-term monitoring and management.
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