New expedition to study and document critical ocean habitats that support biodiversity, sustainable fishing and climate change mitigation in Uruguay.
Montevideo, Uruguay (March 22, 2021)— This week, National Geographic Pristine Seas, the Organization for Cetacean Conservation (OCC) and the Government of Uruguay departed from La Paloma, in the department of Rocha, on an expedition to conduct scientific research in oceanic areas off the coast of Uruguay that are being considered for protection.
Uruguay’s ocean territory is home to many incredible marine species such as whales, sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, rays, fish, birds and more. The area includes virtually unexplored coral reefs and sea canyons which are an important habitat for hake, anchovies, sharks, shrimp, squid and deep sea lobster.
“We are very happy to finally be in Uruguay to work with local scientists in support of the conservation of the Uruguayan sea. The planet is experiencing a serious environmental crisis and the creation of marine protected areas brings enormous benefits to reduce the loss of biodiversity, mitigate climate change, produce food and provide jobs based on sustainable activities,” said Alex Muñoz, National Geographic Pristine Seas, Director of Policy, Latin America and leader of the expedition.
This will be the first expedition Pristine Seas will embark on since the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The expedition team will deploy deep sea cameras and pelagic cameras to study the research area, collect video footage and gather research to support the creation of marine reserves in Uruguay’s waters.