Marine Research - Education - Conservation South Africa | Oceans Research
Oceans ResearchOceans Research Institute investigates the biology and ecology of mega-fauna, including sharks, marine mammals, and terrestrial carnivores; we advise governmental and non-governmental bodies on relevant conservation issues. We also offer multi-disciplinary practical and theoretical training for aspiring researchers from internship to postgraduate levels in conjunction with partner schools, technical colleges, and universities.
Our Motto
Oceans Research provides and facilitates innovative and dynamic research relevant to the management and conservation of Southern Africa’s wildlife.
We strive to divulge research discoveries to the scientific community and also to the general public, through our website, media releases, scientific and popular articles, and documentaries.
We fulfill our responsibilities towards the next generation of South Africa by educating young school pupils and students through our marine volunteer and internship programs, exposing them to species such as the White Shark, Cape fur seal, bottlenose, and humpback dolphins.
One of our primary goals is to ensure South Africa's white sharks conservation through novel research, innovative awareness approaches, and aimed conservation projects.
Latest research news
Written by Dr Enrico Gennari on January 07, 2026
Balancing science, public safety, and conservation through a precautionary lens..
Connect with Oceans Research
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While fishing the other day, our students had a close encounter with one of the ocean’s most intelligent invertebrates — an octopus. The funny part? This little guy never even hooked himself. Instead, he simply sat on the line, carefully picking at the bait and coming right up with it.
Octopuses are famous for their problem-solving abilities and complex behaviour.
Studies have shown they can open jars to access food, learn routes through mazes, manipulate objects, and even distinguish between individual human caretakers in aquarium settings.
Their suckers contain specialized chemoreceptors, allowing them to essentially taste what they touch. This helps them explore their environment and evaluate potential food with remarkable precision — which may explain how this octopus managed to investigate the bait without committing to the hook.
In recent years, cephalopods (the group that includes octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish) have also received increasing scientific and legal recognition for their complex cognition. A major scientific review conducted by researchers at the London School of Economics found strong evidence that cephalopods are sentient, capable of experiencing pain and other affective states. This evidence led to their inclusion in the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.
So while this curious octopus may have only been after an easy snack, it was a great reminder that some of the most fascinating and complex minds in the ocean belong to animals without backbones.
Sometimes the smartest animal at the end of the line is the one that never gets hooked.
Mar 12
Marine biology is no longer just mask, fins, and a clipboard. 🌊
Technology is rapidly changing how we explore and study the ocean, and tools like Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) are becoming essential for underwater observation, habitat surveys, and species documentation.
Our entry-level shift students recently completed their ROV skills training, gaining hands-on experience operating systems that allow researchers to access deeper or more complex environments safely while collecting valuable data.
As marine research continues to evolve, developing technical skills like these are becoming just as important as traditional fieldwork.
Future marine biologists: sometimes the best way to explore the ocean… is with a controller. 🎮🐟
Mar 10
Our students settled into research life quickly — learning how our daily shifts work, meeting their first great white sharks, tracking dolphins through the bay, and getting to know the many species living in our intertidal zones.
They also helped rescue a kelp gull that had become hooked on fishing gear and were introduced to a very important part of South African field culture: the braai 🇿🇦🥩.
Fieldwork, observation, and plenty of time spent learning directly from the ocean. And this is only week one. 🦈🌊
Mar 8
This week the team at Oceans Research Institute assisted SAPREC in the rescue of an injured Kelp Gull.
The gull had attempted to eat bait from a fishing hook that had been cut or broken off, but the hook was still attached to a sinker and section of line. The bird became hooked and was unable to free itself or fly away.
After carefully catching the bird, the team immediately transported it to Hartenbos Animal Hospital, where Dr. Franse removed the hook and treated the injury.
Unfortunately, situations like this are not rare. Discarded fishing line and hooks are a major hazard for seabirds, turtles, and many other marine animals. Birds often mistake bait for food, and once hooked or entangled they can suffer severe injuries or starvation if they cannot escape.
A simple action can prevent this:
🎣 Never discard fishing line, hooks, or tackle into the ocean or onto the shoreline.
🗑️ Dispose of old line and hooks in proper bins or take them home for safe disposal.
✂️ If possible, cut used fishing line into small pieces before throwing it away so wildlife cannot become entangled.
Small choices by anglers and beachgoers can make a big difference for coastal wildlife.
Thank you to the team at @saprec_mb and Dr. Franse for assisting with the treatment and care of this bird.
#SeabirdRescue #ResponsibleFishing #MarineConservation #OceansResearchInstitute #ProtectOurOcean
Mar 6
A juvenile Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) was recently found dead, entangled in shark control gear near Tinley Manor — and that matters deeply💔🌊.
This isn’t an isolated oddity. It reflects how these systems operate. Shark nets and drum lines are lethal, non-selective gear. They don’t keep sharks out of swim zones; they catch animals that encounter them. Along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, dolphins, turtles, rays and other non-target species are regularly entangled in this gear.
The proposed installation near the new Club Med development sits within shallow nearshore habitat used by coastal species like the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, a species with a small and vulnerable population. Using lethal gear in that zone increases the predictable risk of bycatch and mortality.
Public safety is important — no question. But mitigation strategies must be evidence-based and proportionate to ecological risk. There are modern tools available, like drone surveillance, SMART drumlines with rapid response and release, and exclusion barriers, that reduce risk without the same level of bycatch mortality.
This conversation isn’t about choosing one species over people. It’s about making management decisions that reflect current science, respect biodiversity, and balance human safety with ecological integrity.
When a juvenile humpback dolphin dies in shark control gear, it’s a signal that the system deserves scrutiny.
Read more here: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/proposed-shark-net-near-club-med-resort-in-south-africa-sparks-conservation-clash/
Mar 4
Day one in the books.
Today our new students were introduced to the program — how we work, why we work the way we do, and what’s expected when you step into real-world marine research.
They met the team, ran through protocols, and stepped aboard Triton for the first time — the vessel that will become both classroom and workplace over the coming months.
Tomorrow they move from orientation to operation. First shifts. First responsibilities.
Stay tuned to see what we get up to next!🦈🌊
Mar 2
Some field days come with a view like this.
During our ethical fishing shifts, we’re focused on collecting biodiversity data under strict, regulated protocols — but we’re also working within a much bigger system. In Mossel Bay, that includes Seal Island, a major haul-out site for the Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus).
Thousands of seals using one space has ecological consequences. It shapes predator presence, fish movement, and the dynamics of the bay. Even when we’re not studying the island directly, it forms part of the context behind the data we collect.
And every now and then, if timing allows, we assist with a seal pup release alongside local rehabilitation teams — a small but meaningful way research and conservation intersect.
Good science.
Responsible practice.
Unreal field experience.
If you want to be part of it, Mossel Bay is waiting.
#OceansResearch #MosselBay #SealIsland #MarineFieldwork #EthicalResearch
Feb 28
This is what fisheries training looks like.
Our students measuring a Santer (Cheimerius nufar) with proper support, controlled handling, and efficient technique.
No rushed movements.
No careless grips.
No shortcuts.
Because if the handling is wrong, the data is wrong.
Field precision isn’t optional — it’s the standard.
#FisheriesScience #Santer #CheimeriusNufar #MarineFieldwork #OceansResearch
Feb 26
Ever wondered how we get our data from the smaller cat and shy sharks?
It starts like this 👇
When we catch juvenile catsharks and shysharks, we quickly measure their total length — from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail — while keeping them wet and fully supported at all times.
These simple measurements help us understand:
🦈 Growth rates
🦈 Size structure
🦈 Population trends
🦈 Long-term ecosystem change
Like all sharks, they rely on water flowing over their gills for oxygen exchange. Catsharks and shysharks are benthic species that use buccal pumping, meaning they actively move water over their gills rather than relying on continuous swimming like many fast pelagic sharks. They also have relatively lower metabolic demands compared to highly active species.
That said — sharks are not adapted for air exposure. Prolonged time out of water can impair gill function and increase physiological stress.
That’s why handling time is minimized, gills are kept wet, and measurements are taken efficiently and carefully.
This is also one of the key skills we teach our students:
✔ Proper elasmobranch handling techniques
✔ Supporting body weight correctly
✔ Minimizing air exposure
✔ Recognizing early signs of physiological stress
Because good science doesn’t just collect data — it protects the animal first.
Feb 24
When people think marine science, they usually picture scuba gear and boats… but sometimes the best view is from above.
🚁 Drones help us track animal movement in shallow waters, giving us a clear look at how sharks, rays and other marine life move through their habitats — all without getting in the water or disrupting their natural behaviour.
🗺️ They’re also incredible for coastal mapping. By stitching together aerial images, we can create detailed maps of rocky shores, reefs and beaches. This helps us monitor shoreline change, habitat shifts and important biodiversity areas over time.
📊 It’s practical, non-invasive and gives us data we simply wouldn’t get otherwise.
At Oceans Research Institute, our students don’t just watch this happen — they learn how to plan flights, collect the footage and turn those images into real ecological insights. Because conservation today is as much about technology as it is about the ocean itself.
#MarineScience #DroneEcology #CoastalMapping #OceanResearch #ConservationTech
Feb 22
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