Scientists Discover Dozens of New Marine Species

September 26, 2006 -- Researchers from Conservation International have found 52 new species of marine life off the coast of Papua, a province of Indonesia, one of the most biodiverse locations on the planet. New species include a shark that appears to walk on its fins.

The area, about the same size as Washington state, is already home to more than 1,200 known species of fish. Researchers are concerned that this biodiversity is threatened by dynamite- and cyanide-wielding fishermen. Currently, only 11 percent of the area is protected by the Indonesian government, which is considering expanding the protected area.

A number of National Research Council reports highlight the diversity of marine life and the need for undersea exploration. Exploration of the Seas: Voyage into the Unknown recommends establishing an international effort for improving oceanic knowledge and exploration, including the study of marine biodiversity. Marine Protected Areas: Tools for Sustaining Ocean Ecosystem discusses protecting areas with high biodiversity such as the one discovered near Indonesia. Illuminating the Hidden Planet: The Future of Seafloor Observatory Science explores the logistics of underwater observatories as well as their potential role in undersea studies.

• Exploration of the Seas: Voyage into the Unknown (2003)
• Marine Protected Areas: Tools for Sustaining Ocean Ecosystem (2001)
• Illuminating the Hidden Planet: The Future of Seafloor Observatory Science (2000)

• Conservation International