Rhodes University is set to lead a £20-million international collaborative project to influence ocean health and integrated ocean governance for equitable and inclusive sustainability.
The One Ocean Hub is one of twelve innovation hub programmes approved by the UK Research Innovation’s Global Challenges Research Fund and will involve more than 50 partners, including world-leading research centres, development organisations, community representatives, governments and multiple United Nations agencies.
Its aim is to predict, harness and share equitably environmental, socioeconomic and cultural benefits from ocean conservation and sustainable use.
Rhodes University will directly contribute to the fisheries science and governance components of the project.
The programme in South Africa will extend the already-strong links in ocean science between Nelson Mandela University, the University of Cape Town and other partners.
The hub will also connect ocean science and practice communities in South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Fiji and the Solomon Islands with knowledge sharing at regional and international levels.
It will identify hidden trade-offs between more easily-monetized fishing or mining activities and less-understood values of the ocean's deep cultural role, function in the carbon cycle and potential in medical innovation.
Within the initial five years of the programme, it hopes to advance an integrated and inclusive approach to ocean management at a national level in South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Fiji and the Solomon Islands that enhances the resilience of marine ecosystems and of vulnerable groups.