‘First Descent: Indian Ocean’ is a series of missions undertaken by Nekton in partnership with Governments in the Indian Ocean region to catalyse 30% protection by 2030.
Each mission combines national commitments to ocean protection, marine spatial planning, applied research to inform ocean policy, investments in capacity development and inspirational communications to strengthen the public mandate for political action. Nekton is an independent not-for-profit research institute working in collaboration with the University of Oxford. We are a member of the Blue Prosperity Coalition.
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First Descent: Seychelles Mission Trailer
Our groundbreaking 48 day mission created a new baseline of data of the marine life and ocean health in the Seychelles. The data gathered will inform the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan which has committed to protecting an ambitious 30% of their ocean territory by 2020. You can find out more here.
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First Descent Live
First Descent is a series of expeditions to explore and conserve the world’s most unknown and least protected ocean, The Indian Ocean.
Nekton First Descent: Seychelles Mission Overview
Here is an overview of an outstanding expedition that captivated audiences throughout the world. The 48 days including a striking speech delivered from deep below the ocean's surface by the President of the Seychelles, the live broadcast of the world's first underwater news bulletin and the gathering of 20TBs of marina data, 1200 samples and 75 submersible descents.
Highlights from beneath the Indian Ocean
Sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of the deep ocean
Unexpected Visitors
Much excitement on board when some unexpected visitors joined the mission
CONSERVATION THROUGH EXPLORATION
Our ocean is undergoing rapid ecological transformation by human activities
The scientific consensus is that we must have an enforced protected area covering at least 30% protection of the ocean by 2030 to support a resilient ocean and a resilient planet.
The Mission began in Seychelles in March 2019. Seychelles are a beacon and bellwether for ocean conservation in the Indian Ocean and globally - creating the first oceanic debt-for-nature swap and leading the development of a sustainable blue economy.
First Descent deploys a raft of new cutting-edge research, sampling, survey and video technologies from our state-of-the-art submersibles and remote operated vehicles. First Descent is broadcast live from our submersibles and Mothership and distributed globally.
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