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BFU Cruise 1993—1994

In 1993 the Russian State Hydrometeorological Institute introduced a new component to UNESCO?s Floating University Programme, the Baltic Floating University. The scientific base for this project have been developed in association with many Baltic programmes, in particular the Finnish-Russian-Estonian programme «Gulf of Finland Year, 1996». The training component of the BFU was based on different courses organized by the RSHI, including the UNESCO learning modules in remote sensing in use by the «Global Faculty» network of UNESCO's TREDMAR programme.

In 1993 and 1994 the Russian State Hydrometeorological Institute (RSHI) organized and carried out the first two research cruises of the Baltic Floating University (BFU). Three stages included work 1) onboard the research vessel, 2) onboard the sailing catamaran and 3) the Northern component.

1) International Training through Research Cruise aboard Russian hydrographical research vessels «Dorofeev» (1993) and «Persey» (1994) were held in summer periods.

The expedition on «Dorofeev» was conducted on July, 13-26, 1993. 40 scientists and students from Cameroon, Colombia, Mexico, Russia and Ukraine participated in hydrographic, hydrochemical and hydrobiological investigations in the Gulf of Finland. Two seminars on learning with the UNESCO/BILKO computer-based modules on marine science have been held onboard.

The expedition on «Persey» was conducted on August, 11 — September, 01, 1994. This training through Research cruise had a goal to study oceanographic and ecological conditions in the eastern Gulf of Finland. Over 40 scientists and students from Angola, Cameroon, Finland, Russia and Zaire have participated and took part in all kinds works onboard. The Mid-cruise seminar took place in Suomenlinna and in Helsinki onboard the vessel. 24 reports were presented on different research topics, including the results of the cruise. 74 students and researchers participated in this seminar, with representatives of UNESCO Headquarters and HELCOM among them.

2) The cruises of the sailing catamaran ORIENTS have been conducted along with the cruises of the research vessel in coastal waters of the eastern Gulf of Finland — in Luga-Koporye region. The main objective of the cruises was the complex study of the state of the marine ecosystem on the basis of hydrophysical, hydrochemical, hydrobiological characteristics.

3) Northern component — White and Barents seas. This activity consisted of pilot expedition to the White and the Barents Seas in summer 1994 held by the Knipovich Polar Research Institute (PINRO) and RSHI. Fieldwork was carried out in Palkina Bay (White Sea) and Kislaya Bay (Barents Sea). The main aim was to study the fishing grounds of the coastal zone and determine an appropriate balance between local environmental conditions and the development of aquaculture. Both these expeditions were performed by RSHU researchers and students of department of Oceanography.

Also in July, 1994 the first COMARNOR expedition was undertaken to study the biodiversity and adaptation strategies of Arctic coastal marine benthos. This was a cooperative programme between the Netherlands Institute of Ecology and Moscow State University for the COMAR and TREDMAR programmes.

Other Cruises

1993—1994

About Cruises Publications Contacts
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