The “Network of Marine Mammal Observers” (NeMMO) program is a research initiative aimed at improving the collection of marine mammal data during opportunistic shipboard surveys in the ocean waters of the western Indian Ocean.
With NeMMO, the aim is to significantly increase the quality, quantity and availability of useful data on cetacean populations in the oceanic waters of the south-west Indian Ocean. Platforms of opportunity are defined here as deep-sea vessels that are engaged in other work but offer opportunities for specialist marine mammal and other megafauna (MMO) observers to collect data.
Marine megafauna data for large parts of this region are largely absent or extremely scarce. By making use of existing platforms, the NeMMO program aims to maximize the geographical coverage and frequency of recorded sightings, which will lead to a better understanding of the distribution of cetaceans and other marine megafauna.
The interactive map below shows all the sightings recorded since 2017 (view full screen here).