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 Enrico Gennari on May 15, 2025
Beneath the ocean’s shimmering surface, a hidden crisis is spreading. Oxygen-starved waters where marine life suffocates—also known as dead zones—are transforming vibrant ecosystems into underwater graveyards...
Connect with Oceans Research
📝From Wind to Waves: Data Matters📝
Before we drop a line, deploy a BRUV, calibrate a theodolite, or even pull out our binoculars, collecting environmental data is the first step.
Why? Because the sea is a highly dynamic system with ever-changing conditions that undoubtedly have effects on the information we can collect.
🌀Wind speed & direction 🌀
Winds can affect factors such as ocean currents and the water mixing and visibility occurring below the ocean surface, which are particularly important for our BRUV deployments.
👁️Sightability (1-5)👁️
If we can’t see, we can’t observe! For our land-based cetacean surveys, recording sightability, is important for providing context on days when we don’t observe animals. Not because they weren’t there, but because we couldn’t see them!
🌡️Temperature (°C)🌡️
Sea surface temperature (SST), recorded during our boat-based projects, has ties to many aspects of our research, from animal presence to their behavior and physiology.
↕️Depth (m)↕️
Different organisms are associated with different habitats and ocean layers. Recording our depth can help explain the different species we catch and observe across different sites.
Understanding the current state of the site we are conducting fieldwork helps to provide context to our data and to collect comprehensive information for any given project.
#oceansresearch #fieldwork #fieldresearch #marinescience #environmentaldata #environmentals
Jun 22
🐾 Thanks for an Awesome Week, @clemsonuniversity ! 🐾
This past week flew by as we had the pleasure of hosting a fantastic group of students from Clemson University here at Oceans Research Institute.
In just a few days, you got hands-on with everything from BRUV deployments and ethical fish biodiversity assessments to land-based cetacean surveys, tidepool explorations, and learning all about our unique local shark species.
It was great to see your enthusiasm, curiosity, and willingness to dive into new experiences (sometimes literally!). Whether spotting bottlenose dolphins or discovering cushion stars in the intertidal zone, your energy made this week something special for all of us.
Thank you for being such an engaged, respectful, and fun group. We hope the skills and experiences you’ve gained here follow you into your future work in marine science—and that South Africa and its oceans have left a lasting impression.
Until next time, Clemson! 🌊🦈
#ClemsonAbroad #OceansResearch #MarineScienceInAction #BRUVs #TidepoolLife #CetaceanSurveys #StudyAbroad #SharkScience #MarineFieldwork
Jun 21
🐬 Eyes on the Bay! 👀🌊
Our visiting university, @clemsonuniversity dove into land-based cetacean surveys during their time with us at Oceans Research Institute!
As part of their mammal-focused course, they learned how to track marine mammal behavior — an essential skill for any budding marine scientist.
Armed with a theodolite, binoculars, and sharp spotting skills, they successfully tracked bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) cruising through Mossel Bay!
#MarineScience #OceansResearch #MarineMammals #Fieldwork #FieldResearch #CetaceanSurvey #LandBasedCetaceans #ClemsonAbroad
Jun 20
🐚Shell we explore the shore with @clemsonuniversity ?🐚
Clemson University students got hands-on with the vibrant intertidal zones of Mossel Bay—exploring the overlooked but vital micro-ecosystems hiding in our rocky shores!
Using quadrats and transects, they helped assess the biodiversity of these tide pools, home to a variety of incredible invertebrates like annelids, echinoderms, and arthropods.
🌊 Their top picks?
🦑 Cuttlefish
🪨 Spiny chitons
⭐ Cushion stars
What’s your favorite tidepool find?
#Tidepooling #IntertidalInvertebrates #MarineScience #ClemsonAbroad #OceansResearch #FieldResearch #SouthAfricaCoast #CuttlefishCrush
Jun 18
One of the Clemson students’ main project while with us at Oceans Research Institute is conducting seal behavior surveys at the iconic Seal Island, Mossel Bay!
⚓️They go out on our research vessel at dawn and dusk to observe the different socialization, swimming, and hunting patterns at different sectors around the island.
🌅Doing this allows them to compare the differences in seal departure and arrival as well as changes in group sizes between two different time periods.
👁They have so far observed more cape fur seals departing the island after sunset compared to before sunrise!
#clemsontigers #clemsonuniversity #capefurseal #marinemammals #marinescience #oceansresearch
Jun 17
Students from @clemsonuniversity recently joined us at Oceans Research Institute and took part in our ethical fish biodiversity assessments — using responsible hand-line fishing techniques to study local marine species. 🌊🧪
During the session, our Director Dr. Enrico Gennari shared insights into South Africa’s endemic catshark species — small sharks that are only found in our waters.🦈🇿🇦
This hands-on experience gave students the opportunity to contribute to marine science while learning how ethical sampling techniques support conservation and research as well as appropriate shark handling.
#OceansResearch #EthicalFishing #ClemsonAbroad #MarineScience #Catsharks #SouthAfrica #Fieldwork #ConservationThroughScience #EndemicSpecies #SharkEducation #EnricoGennari
Jun 16
👋 How’s it going, BRUV? 👋
At Oceans Research Institute, Clemson University students are diving into marine science—without even getting wet! 🌊🐟
Using Baited Remote Underwater Video systems (BRUVs), students gain insights into what’s happening on the seafloor when no one’s around. This hands-off, minimally invasive method allows them to study fish communities in their natural state—no nets, no interference. 🚫✋
As part of their fieldwork, the Clemson team identified species from the footage, analyzes biodiversity, and calculates MaxN to estimate abundance and richness across different marine zones. 🧠🎥
It’s hands-on science… just without the hands!
#ClemsonAbroad #BRUV #MarineScience #FieldResearch #OceansResearch #ClemsonInTheField #UnderwaterScience #BRUVdata
Jun 16
🧡🐾Welcome, tigers!🧡🐾
Last night, our student group from Clemson University arrived for their stay here with us at Oceans Research Institute!
⚓️They started off yesterday evening with a boat safety introduction led by our skipper Gian to go over the rules and protocols of conducting boat-based research.
🦭Early this morning, half of their students performed a cape fur seal, Arctocephalus pusillus, observation survey at the iconic Seal Island, in Mossel Bay, guided by our program director Dr. Enrico Gennari and Lacey.
🦀Meanwhile, the other half learned important skills in assessing intertidal communities using quadrats and transects at The Point with field specialist Zurike!
🐬This afternoon, they were given a warm welcome to Mossel Bay from a huge pod of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops aduncus, during their first land-based cetacean surveys, led by field specialist Nathan.
We are so happy to have them here!
#marinescience #marinemammals #intertidal #invertebrates #bottlenosedolphin #capefurseal #landbasedcetaceansurvey #sealsurvey #clemsonuniversity #clemsontigers
Jun 14
🔭Survey team or Cetacean fan club?🔭
During our land-based Cetacean surveys, students learn to track Cetaceans and record behavioral cues.
During this project students are given different jobs:
🔭Manning the theodolite
👁️Spotting using binoculars
📝Recording behavioral data
📝Recording environmental data
🔭What is a theodolite you might ask?
This is a special piece of equipment that allows us to record the coordinates of where the cetaceans are spotted against an X and Y-axis grid.
👁️The students using binoculars are responsible for spotting these cetaceans and directing the student using the theodolite to their location so that these coordinates can begin being recorded.
📝Students recording behavioral data listen to verbal cues from the spotters and begin writing down the different information that is being described, such as pod size, activity, and species.
📝Students recording environmental data observe the state of the site and write down contextual information such as sightability, cloud cover, wind speed and direction, and sea swell.
The data collected by students gives us key insight into the behavior and temporal movements of local cetaceans such as:
🐋Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis)
🐋Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
🐋Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera brydei)
🐬Common dolphins (Delphinus capensis)
🐬Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus)
🐬Indian-Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea)
#marinescience #oceansresearch #fieldwork #fieldresearch #marinemammals #cetaceans #landbasedcetaceansurvey
Jun 12
Our students have officially analyzed every egg case found at 46 different GPS locations along Hartenbos beach!
Some physical characteristics they observed include:
🕳️Bore holes from different gastropods that feed on the embryonic fluids and tissues.
🦷Rips and tears resulting from organisms chewing, pecking, or gnawing on egg cases.
🙌Clean openings at either end of the egg cases indicative of a successful hatch!
🌱Biofouling and attachments present on the egg cases, from algae to anthropogenic items like rope.
Using dichotomous keys, calipers, and species ID sheets, our students positively identified egg cases from:
🥁Drum roll please…🥁
🐘Cape elephantfish/St. Joseph’s shark (Callorhinchus milii)
👯♀️Twineyed/brown skates (Raja miraletus)
🙈Dark shysharks (Haploblepharus pictus)
🐍Puffadder shysharks (Haploblepharus edwarsii)
#marinescience #fieldresearch #fieldwork #analysis #oceansresearch #sharkresearch #mermaidpurse
Jun 10
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