Marine Research & Conservation Work

The Indo Ocean Project internship wasn’t just about diving every day (though that was definitely a perk). A big part of our time here focused on real marine research, collecting data that’s actually used for publications and long-term monitoring across Indonesia. The idea is simple: the more we understand about the state of local reefs and their inhabitants, the better we can protect them.

Marine Research

A large part of our fieldwork involved assisting IOP’s research team in various underwater and environmental surveys designed to assess reef health and biodiversity. These included:

Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) Surveys

BRUVs are underwater cameras with a small bait container attached, they attract fish and record everything that swims by. Later, researchers analyse the footage to identify species and estimate abundance, including animals that might avoid divers (like certain sharks or shy reef fish). It’s a non-invasive and surprisingly fun way to spy on marine life doing their thing naturally.

Roving and Coral Health Surveys

Roving surveys are a bit more freestyle: we swim around the site, identify species, and record what we see. For coral health surveys, the focus is more specific, noting signs of bleaching, disease, or broken structures to track the reef’s overall condition. Together, these two surveys give a pretty solid overview of how healthy or stressed a reef is.

Water Quality Surveys

We also collected data on the water itself, temperature, salinity, and other factors that influence marine life. It might sound less exciting than counting sharks, but water quality data is essential for understanding why certain reefs thrive while others struggle.

Coral Identification and Restoration

We spent a lot of time learning coral identification, from branching Acropora to massive Porites. Knowing the difference between coral genera isn’t just for science geeks, it’s what allows accurate data collection during surveys.

We also got a taste of coral restoration, learning how coral fragments are grown in nurseries and later transplanted back to degraded reef sites. It’s hands-on conservation work that really puts into perspective how much patience and precision reef recovery takes.

Species Identification and Conservation

Every week, we had specialty workshops focused on fish, coral, shark, turtle, and macrolife ID. The goal was to become confident enough to identify species underwater and log them accurately, because data is only as good as the observer.

For me, these sessions completely changed how I see reefs. Instead of just “fish everywhere,” I started noticing small behavioural patterns, interactions, and species I used to overlook (especially the tiny macro critters I’ve grown to love). All of our data contributed directly to IOP’s research database, which supports ongoing publications and management efforts.

Community Outreach

Not everything we did was underwater. One of my favourite parts of the internship was spending time at a local school, teaching English and simple ocean concepts through games and activities. The kids were so curious, and surprisingly competitive. These sessions were a great reminder that conservation isn’t just about collecting data, it’s also about sharing important knowledge with future generations.

Final Thoughts

This experience tied everything I love, science, diving, and education, into one. It showed how grassroots data collection and local outreach can make a real difference in understanding and protecting marine ecosystems. The work was challenging at times (especially balancing data sheets and dive gear), but incredibly rewarding. Every dive, survey, and class reminded me that conservation is a team effort, both underwater and on land.