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ECOLOGICAL MISSIONS
CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONSERVATION OF MARINE SPECIES
If it is essential to understand the nature and extent of ocean pollution, it is also crucial to comprehend its consequences on the species living there. One of the existing methods is to monitor the population of each of these species. That's why L'Expédition Bleue conducts surveys of fish larvae and eggs, as well as cetaceans present in the seas and oceans it crosses.
1. SAMPLING AND SURVEYS OF FISH EGGS AND LARVAE
Due to climate change and marine pollution, the physico-chemical balance of our oceans is at risk. To assess the consequences on marine fauna and flora, one research focus is to closely examine the analysis of fish larvae, their development, and the evolution of species.
During the expedition, the association will conduct samplings of fish eggs and larvae using a net towed at the back of the sailboat in the seas and oceans it crosses. The samples collected from all around the world are then stored on the boat before being analyzed on land.
These samplings are part of the Ichtyos program, which aims to build, in the long term, a reference collection through an inventory of fish larvae and eggs and to map their distribution on a large scale and their seasonality.
2. CETACEAN CENSUS AND AUDIO RECORDINGS
To date, more than half of cetacean species have been classified as 'Data Deficient' on the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Efforts are increasing to better survey these marine species that inhabit our oceans using methods based not only on visual observation but also on acoustic signatures.
Day after day, L'Expédition Bleue systematically identifies observed cetaceans. For each encountered individual, photographs and acoustic recordings are made using a hydrophone deployed during each observation.
These recordings are conducted as part of the Kétos–Osmose program, which aims to study the distribution, density, and seasonal movements of different cetacean species to enhance our understanding of them and thus improve their protection.
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