From Shore to the Abyss: An Exploration and Conservation Partnership
And now for something new and different! The Ocean Exploration Trust is very proud and excited to be underway in our From Shore To The Abyss (FSTA) program in partnership with the National Geographic Society. OET is providing E/V Nautilus and our team’s expedition experience to contribute to discoveries focused on the conservation of reefs and the generation of new knowledge that can apply to global ocean conservation, education, and exploration.
This year, each of the three FSTA expeditions will include two National Geographic project teams focused on understanding different aspects of the archipelago's unique resources. These expeditions will focus on exploring Hawaiʻi's ecosystems and conducting research projects to better understand resident sharks and marine mammals, the impact of plastics on marine environments, and the maritime history of Hawaiʻi. Teams will use scuba diving, snorkeling, and small-boat surveys to conduct research projects using cutting-edge technologies and citizen science techniques.
From Shore to the Abyss: Exploration of Marine Mammal Communication and Shark Communities in the Main Hawaiian Islands
In our first leg of the brand-new expedition series From Shore to the Abyss, we are teaming up with (and receiving funding from) the National Geographic Society to study shallow waters near Maui and Hawaiʻi island. Project teams on this leg will combine cutting-edge technologies with indigenous Hawaiian knowledge to increase knowledge and understanding of marine life. The work will focus on sharks and marine mammals—apex predators who are culturally significant to the Hawaiian people.
From Shore To the Abyss: Exploration of Shark Communities and Microplastic Pollution in the Main Hawaiian Islands
In our second leg of the From Shore to the Abyss program, OET and National Geographic Society are exploring the waters of Maui and Hawaiʻi island while studying sharks and microplastic pollution investigating the intersection of humans and the ocean environment to inform policy and management of this ecosystem.
From Shore To the Abyss: Exploration of Maritime Heritage and Microplastic Pollution in the Main Hawaiian Islands
Our third From Shore to the Abyss expedition finds OET and National Geographic Society investigating maritime cultural heritage and plastic pollution in the waters around Lānaʻi and Maui. Both project teams will investigate evidence left behind by humans to better understand what happened in the past, as well as what this means for the future. Projects focus on the intersection of human actions and the ocean environment to inform policy and management of this ecosystem.
