The research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen cancelled a planned survey of Sri Lankan waters in 2025 after government approval was delayed. Operated by Norway’s Institute of Marine Research and commissioned by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization under the EAF‑Nansen Programme, the ship provides oceanographic surveys used to manage marine resources sustainably.
Sri Lanka had imposed a one‑year moratorium on foreign research vessels in December 2023, which was lifted in December 2024. Authorities did not finalise standard operating procedures in time, so a special presidential approval arrived too late and FAO reassigned the mission to Madagascar. The Nansen had been due in Sri Lankan waters from 15 July to 20 August 2025.
Past Nansen missions collected data on temperature, salinity, oxygen and chlorophyll and supported studies of plankton, deep‑sea life and seafloor habitats. Scientists say the cancelled mission will slow work on fish abundance, seasonal patterns and changing ocean conditions.
Difficult words
- moratorium — official temporary stop to an activity
- oceanographic — relating to the study of the ocean
- sustainably — in a way that avoids long term harm
- reassign — give a job or task to someone elsereassigned
- salinity — the amount of salt in water
- chlorophyll — green substance in plants and algae
- seafloor — the bottom surface under the ocean
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might the cancelled mission affect people who fish in Sri Lanka? Explain in two or three sentences.
- Do you think a temporary moratorium on foreign research vessels is useful or not? Why?
- Which ocean data from the surveys (temperature, salinity, oxygen, chlorophyll, plankton or seafloor habitats) do you think is most important for managing fish? Why?
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