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Mexico and SA to strengthen collaboration in marine research
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SAEON's Drs Tommy Bornman and Juliet Hermes were invited by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to form part of a South African delegation to Mexico with the aim of developing collaborative relations in marine research.
The main objective of the initiative was to promote scientific cooperation between South Africa and Mexico in ocean sciences. This was achieved specifically through information sharing and exchange of expertise and knowledge towards the development and expansion of capacity in the field of ocean science, as well as sharing of existing technology in both countries.
The synergy that would evolve from such collaborations is expected to be of considerable benefit to the scientific and socio-economic development of these emerging economies. It is also envisaged that the collaboration will address several common challenges faced by the two countries.
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Other South Africans who attended the workshop were Dr Angus Paterson (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity), Dr Anusha Rajhkaran (Rhodes University), Prof. Mark Gibbons (University of the Western Cape), Dr Gilbert Siko (DST) and Mr Duke Nkadimeng (DST). A number of Mexican marine scientists were at the workshop from both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and from different organisations and higher education institutions. It was apparent that there are many more marine scientists working in Mexico than South Africa.
Workshop
The workshop was hosted by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (the National Council of Science and Technology) (abbreviated CONACYT), the equivalent of South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF). CONACYT is Mexico's entity in charge of the promotion of scientific and technological activities, setting government policies for these matters, and granting scholarships for postgraduate studies.
The two-day workshop, with presentations from both the Mexican and South African scientists, highlighted that both countries have similar habitats. The presentations covered the areas of long-term ecological research, estuaries and coastal ecology, physical and operational oceanography, aquaculture and coastal observations.
Among other areas of collaboration identified, it was established that Mexico and South Africa also share the ability to produce good wine, both countries have incredible surf and neither country follows rules!
Areas of common interest
These were identified as taxonomy of marine organisms; mangrove ecology and management; coastal upwelling as indicators of ocean climate variability; marine protected areas; impact of oil on marine organisms; harmful algal blooms; data assimilation for ocean circulation modelling; meteorology with a focus on environmental conditions; fishing; ocean acidification/CO2; and aquaculture.
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In order to increase cooperation between the two countries, it would be important to define the mechanisms that could be used to develop the initiatives mentioned above. Potential ways for doing this include:
- Academic exchange/technology transfer
- Issue of a bilateral funding call
- Develop a Mexico-SA oceanography and estuary network
- Share research facilities to do experimental research
- Exchange of data processing and long-term ecological research experiences
The Mexicans were gracious hosts and the South African delegation was invited to partake in the cultural ritual of drinking the local speciality in the form of tequila and mescal. The delegation also took the opportunity of an 'acclimatisation' day to visit the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon (dating back to 500 BC), as well as the anthropological museum. Unfortunately there was no time to visit any in situ coastal monitoring sites.
SAEON looks forward to hosting some of the Mexican scientists at the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) conference in September 2016 and the World Aquaculture Society conference in Cape Town in June 2017.
