Biodiversity experts have urged governments that benefit from the Indian Ocean to increase investment in research to help uncover the ‘true extent’ of marine life in the resource.

Zanzibar Climate Change Alliance Executive Director Mahfoudh Haji said the ocean is a treasure trove of ecological biodiversity. It supports a vast range of biodiversity, including iconic species like sea turtles, dugongs, and whale sharks.

However, despite its rich marine life, a significant number of species within this ecosystem remain unidentified, posing a major challenge to conservation efforts.

“A glaring example of this knowledge gap is seen in marine algae. So far, researchers have identified only 50 species of algae in the Indian Ocean ecosystem. However, it is estimated that there could be up to 350 species in the ecosystem, highlighting the urgent need for further research and exploration,” he noted.

Capacity shortfalls

According to him, lack of resources and advanced technology is one of the key reasons many species in the ecosystem remain unidentified.

Conducting biodiversity mapping, monitoring, and evaluation requires substantial financial investment and sophisticated technological tools resources, which most African countries currently lack.

Limited expertise is also another major contributor to this challenge.

According to him, Africa has very few biodiversity experts specialising in marine ecosystems, which makes it difficult to conduct extensive research and species identification.

This shortage also means that much of the region’s marine biodiversity remains unexplored and undocumented.

“Lack of political will is another major challenge. Biodiversity conservation is not a priority for many governments, as more attention and resources are directed toward other sectors.

Without strong policy support and investment, efforts to study and protect marine ecosystems remain limited,” Mahfoudh observed, revealing that without sufficient data, conservation work becomes incredibly difficult as conservationists lack a clear understanding of the full capacity and potential of this ecosystem.

Without comprehensive research and documentation, it is impossible to determine what species exist, their ecological roles, and how best to protect them.

This knowledge gap also affects sustainable fishing practices, tourism, and climate adaptation strategies that rely on a well-documented marine ecosystem. This is because, without accurate data on marine biodiversity, policymakers and conservationists struggle to implement effective regulations to prevent overfishing, protect all species, and promote responsible tourism.

“There is need for increased investment in marine research, capacity building and technological advancements. Strengthening collaborations between governments, research institutions and conservation organisations could also accelerate efforts to uncover the hidden species of the Indian Ocean and develop informed conservation strategies,” he said.

Little investment

This is however not an Indian ocean problem only. Scientists estimate that 91 per cent of ocean species are yet to be classified globally but the global scientific community continues to amass as much knowledge as possible about ocean life.

According to Dr Arthur Tuda, Executive Director of Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), marine science in Africa receives only “a drop in the ocean of national budgets”. But new interest in the “blue economy” holds promise.

“As little as 0.1 per cent of national budgets on the continent go to better understanding our oceans and marine life. And much of that is for the administration costs of organisations involved in marine research, not the research work itself.

According to him, overlooking the ocean’s potential poses significant risks, especially amid challenges like overfishing and climate change.

He emphasised that robust marine research is crucial for sustainable development and should be a top priority for policymakers.

He revealed that, there is also a troubling disconnect between science and policy, with politicians and the public often failing to understand the significance of scientific assessments, such as fish stock evaluations.

For example, last year some political figures in Kenya criticised the government for spending Sh1.6 billion on fish stock assessments, trivialising the effort as merely “counting fish”.