Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) (486)

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.12652023
Cape Canyon Suspended Particulate Matter CTD water sample

The Cape Canyon, situated on the western continental shelf of South Africa, stands as the country's largest bathymetric feature. Despite its prominence, understanding of the food web dynamics within the system and the significance of the benthic community for higher trophic levels remains incomplete. In response to this knowledge gap, the DFFE: Oceans and Coasts launched a multidisciplinary expedition aboard the RV Algoa. The expedition aimed to characterise the physical environment and investigate food web connections in the vicinity of the Cape Canyon by analysing isotopic signatures in suspended particulate matter (SPM) relative to those found in benthic tissue samples. Prior to dredge operations, conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) water samples were collected at each dredge station. However, due to the inherent challenges associated with sampling in canyon systems, not all dredge operations were successful in obtaining samples, resulting in an unbalanced design where...

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.05322023
Benthic invertebrate presence data, in and around the Cape Canyon (Southern Benguela Upwelling region)

Canyon research is still an emergent field in South Africa and the true potential of canyons as biodiversity hotspots has seldom been studied in an integrated context. In response to this, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment: Oceans and Coasts collected benthic data to better understand benthic species profiles within and around the Cape Canyon. This equated to 39 stations (whereby 13 were canyon and 26 non-canyon) and yielded 180 species.

(No DOI)
Raw SPAR data from the Transkei Shelf Oceanography Cruise on the Algoa 241, July 2017

This is raw Surface Photosynthetically Active Radiation (SPAR) data from the Transkei Shelf Oceanography Cruise on the Algoa 241, 12 July to 11 August, 2017. The area covered includes the Transkei shelf and continental slope (20m to 1000m), of the Eastern Cape, between Cape St Francis and Port Shepstone in the South-West Indian Ocean.Our knowledge of the distribution of offshore benthic biodiversity on the Transkei shelf is very limited. The region between Algoa Bay and Port Edward is not only important for understanding the functioning of existing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) such as Pondoland, Dwesa-Cwebe, and the Amathole, but is of particular relevance to the new Operation Phakisa proposed MPA network that will potentially include additional MPAs such as the Protea Banks, Amathole Expansion, and the proposed Addo MPA. In addition, further knowledge is needed to support decision-making about the offshore extent of the Dwesa-Cwebe MPA. The oceanography in the form of water...

(No DOI)
Processed SADCP data from Leg 1 of the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) II on the Algoa Voyage 177, July 2010

The Algoa sailed from Durban on 16 July 2010 to conduct a hydrographic survey of the Natal Bight as part of the winter African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) II. A total of 16 shore-normal transects were occupied between Scottburgh and St. Lucia. The aim of the synoptic survey was to determine the nutrient sources of the Natal Bight ecosystem, and to characterise the focus sites across the Bight. This dataset was processed using older standards which may not align with international best practices and the standards currently adhered to by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). The Department is re-processing and replacing data to ensure everything has the same format and is of the same quality and datasets will be marked as obsoleted once that is done. As such the user assumes the entire risk related to the use of these data in its current state and format. DFFE disclaims all warranties of the data whether expressed or implied, including without...

(No DOI)
Processed CTD data from African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) from Algoa Voyage 176, January 2010

The Algoa sailed from Durban on 22 January 2010 to conduct a hydrographic survey of the Natal Bight as part of the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) II. A total of 16 shore-normal transects were occupied between Scottburgh and St. Lucia.The sampling locations are indicated in Figure 1 of the Cruise Report. The aim of the synoptic survey was to determine the nutrient sources of the Natal Bight ecosystem, and to characterise the focus sites across the Bight. Unfortunately, due to instrument failure, a planned ADCP transect between St. Lucia and Durban could not be completed. This dataset was processed using older standards which may not align with international best practices and the standards currently adhered to by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). The Department is re-processing and replacing data to ensure everything has the same format and is of the same quality and datasets will be marked as obsoleted once that is done. As such the...

(No DOI)
Processed CTD data from Leg 1 of the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) II on the Algoa Voyage 177, July 2010

The Algoa sailed from Durban on 16 July 2010 to conduct a hydrographic survey of the Natal Bight as part of the winter African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) II. A total of 16 shore-normal transects were occupied between Scottburgh and St. Lucia. The aim of the synoptic survey was to determine the nutrient sources of the Natal Bight ecosystem, and to characterise the focus sites across the Bight. This dataset was processed using older standards which may not align with international best practices and the standards currently adhered to by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). The Department is re-processing and replacing data to ensure everything has the same format and is of the same quality and datasets will be marked as obsoleted once that is done. As such the user assumes the entire risk related to the use of these data in its current state and format. DFFE disclaims all warranties of the data whether expressed or implied, including without...

(No DOI)
Raw Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD) data from the African Coelecanth Ecology Programme (ACEP) Cruise on the Algoa Voyage 130, July 2004

This is raw Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) data from the African Coelecanth Ecology Programme (ACEP) Cruise on the Algoa Voyage 130, July 2004. The area covered includes the Western Indian Ocean; South African East Coast; Delago Bight - Mozambique; Tanzanian Coast; Comoros.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.10000015
Agulhas Bank shelf total cumulative upwelling index, 1997 to 2018

Seasonal mean total cumulative upwelling in the Agulhas Bank (33.3-37.5°S;18.5-27°E) shelf region during austral summer, autumn, winter, and spring.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.10000014
Southern Benguela shelf total cumulative upwelling index, 1997 to 2018

Seasonal mean total cumulative upwelling in the Southern Benguela (29-34.3°S;12-18.5°E) shelf region during austral summer, autumn, winter, and spring.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.10000013
Northern Benguela shelf total cumulative upwelling index, 1997 to 2018

Seasonal mean total cumulative upwelling in the Northern Benguela (15-29°S;8-16.8°E) shelf region during austral summer, autumn, winter, and spring.

(No DOI)
Data from the pre-operational pilot phase of the Elands Bay data buoy deployment

Hourly weather station data from the pre-operational pilot phase of the Elands Bay data buoy deployment measuring the rainfall, temperature, humidity, and wind speed.

Geographic extent

Temporal extent