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Russia research expedition first time in 20 years in Guinea-Bissau

The main goal of the expedition is to assess the stocks of exploited populations of pelagic fish species by means of trawl and acoustic survey

KALININGRAD, January 14 (Itar-Tass) — The Atlantida (Atlantis) research vessel of the Atlantic Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (AtlantNIRO) for first time over more than 20-year is conducting a scientific expedition in the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Deputy Director of the institute Alexander Arkhipov told Itar-Tass on Monday.

AtlantNIRO is a leading research institute of Russia in the Baltic Sea, central and southern parts of the Atlantic Ocean, western part of the Indian and south-eastern part of the Pacific Ocean biological resources studies, creation of scientific bases for their rational and effective use on the bases of modern technologies. It renders services in developing of new technologies for sea biont processing, drafting of the production projects, regulatory documentation, business plans, renewal of the fish product assortment. The AtlantNIRO Test Centre of food products and raw foods conducts tests with the purpose of certification of food products, raw foods, cosmetic and perfume articles.

“The main goal of the expedition of RV Atlantis on board of which there are Russian scientists and four experts from Guinea-Bissau – is to assess the stocks of exploited populations of pelagic fish species – the West African horse mackerel, sardines, and other commercial species – by means of trawl and acoustic survey, and also to study the pelagic ecosystem in the Atlantic Ocean near the exclusive economic zone of Guinea-Bissau,” Arkhipov said.

The research is conducted within the framework of the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of fisheries, signed in April 2011. “The results obtained by the expedition will be used also for the operation of  fishing vessels of our two countries in this area,” said the deputy director of AtlantNIRO.

On the eve of the expedition’s sailing to the research area, RV Atlantis was visited in the port of Bissau by Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau Rui Duarte de Barros, the minister of agriculture and fisheries and the minister of finance of the African country. Head of the AtlantNIRO expedition Vladimir Shnar and Captain of RV Atlantis Mikhail Yakubin organised for the guests of the vessel an excursion of the ship and its research laboratories.

“According to Secretary of the Russian Embassy in Guinea-Bissau Alexander Makin, the prime minister of Guinea-Bissau praised the technical capabilities of the Russian ship and its research laboratories. He expressed the hope that the joint fisheries research will be actively pursued in the future,” said Arkhipov.

AtlantNIRO is engaged in the study of the resource base of fishing in the Baltic Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the south-eastern part of the Pacific and the western Indian Ocean. The objective of the research of the institute, which is based in Kaliningrad is the creation of the scientific foundation for the rational and effective use of biological resources based on modern technologies.