The video above explains the intriguing mission of the Chagos Archipelago Open Ocean Expedition. The archipelago—which is about twice the size of Great Britain—was converted into a preserve in 2010, and fishing and longlining in the area was eliminated. Now, seven organizations, including the Zoological Society of London, are pooling their expertise to see what’s happened there in the years since.
Scientists know that tuna, billfish, and shark populations have been under tremendous pressure worldwide, and they’re curious to learn if the creation of a large protected area—like Chagos—could possibly provide a chance for these open ocean populations to recover. Researchers have returned to the archipelago to see if it’s become, as they hope, an area in which large migrating oceanic species feel protected enough to begin rebuilding their decimated populations.
