OUCARE Papua New Guinea 2004

Expedition Information

  • Dates: 16 August - 26 September
  • Year: 2004
  • Destination: New Ireland Province
  • Country: Papua New Guinea
  • Continent: Australasia
  • Personnel: Ellie La Trobe-Bateman* (Expedition Leader: Hertford, 2001), Roman Popat (Treasurer: Jesus, 2003), Hatty Douthwaite (Medical Officer: St. Hilda’s, 2001), Alex Taylor (Medical Officer: Christ Church, 2001), Charlotte Holman (Dive Officer: Christ Church, 2003), Antonia Ford (St. Hilda’s, 2002), Michael Dowell (St. Anne’s, 2001), Radhika Aggarwel (Magdalen, 2003).

OUCARE (Oxford University Coral Awareness and Reef Ecology) 2004 as a six weeks marine expedition to Papua New Guinea (PNG) that ran between August and September 2004. The region of focus was the Kavieng area of New Ireland province, including parts of New Hanover and the Tigak Islands. Baseline data are useful to researchers but without local knowledge of resources and the threats posed to them, it is redundant.

OUCARE 2004

The expedition therefore aimed to achieve knowledge of the coral resources and the treats to these resources. During the Expedition the team carried out baseline surveys of coral community composition, coral health, as well as fish and invertebrate diversities and abundances, compatible with socioeconomic data being collected by the PNG National Fisheries Authority Coastal Fisheries Management and Development Project.

In total, baseline data were generated for 15 sites in the areas of Lovongai, Nonovaul and Enang, at both the crest level and slope level of the reef. Along side this, we aimed to increase awareness of the ecological importance of the reefs. This was achieved by local visits, newspaper coverage, radio broadcasts, and talks at an Education Forum. This expedition generated baseline date for the Kavieng region, and may be compared to other regions.