UK gives Bios $450,000 to study deep sea marine life
An initiative to study life in Bermuda’s waters has been given an almost $450,000 grant by the UK Government.
The donation was one of several unveiled on Saturday as part of World Environment Day, during which the UK announced it would invest more than £8 million in projects in the UK Overseas Territories to help tackle the “global biodiversity crisis”.
The funds will be provided through the Darwin Plus programme, also known as the Overseas Territories Environment and Climate fund.
The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences was given £316,829 to study the island’s marine life in partnership with the University of Rhode Island.
The Darwin Plus website said: “Though the use of innovative methodologies, this project will fill critical knowledge gaps on Bermuda’s mobile deep-sea biodiversity and support both the Bermuda and UK Government’s strategic biodiversity conservation priorities.”
The website added that the study will use “environmental DNA metabarcoding” – a technique that uses DNA in water samples to determine the species that reside in the area – along with baited cameras to gather information about Bermuda’s marine life.
The data would later be used as the Bermuda Government develops its marine spatial plan.
The website added that the study would focus on “highly migratory and mobile predator” fish species.
The research is expected to begin on August 1 and continue until the end of March 2023.
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