Featured Research – South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity

NRF-SAIAB Briefing Note: Conservation of the Orange Fringed River Bream in South Africa and Eswatini and broader implications for freshwater fish conservation

Prepared by: Roger Bills, Andre Hoffman and Veer BillsSEPTEMBER 2025 Purpose – This brief aims to highlight the status, threats and conservation options for the Orange Fringed River Bream (Chetia brevis). The Orange Fringed River Bream (Chetia brevis) is a...

April 8, 2026

Featured Research

NRF-SAIAB Briefing Note: St Lucia Estuarine Lake in the Process of Becoming a Freshwater Ecosystem

Prepared by Alan Whitfield Co-authors: Ricky Taylor, Janine Adams & Caroline Fox October 2025 In this briefing note, which is based on a recently submitted paper (Taylor et al. in review) we identify the key role that St Lucia plays...

April 8, 2026

Featured Research News and Events

St Lucia at an ecological tipping point?

By: Ricky Taylor and Alan Whitfield (NRF-SAIAB Emeritus Chief Scientist and Honorary Research Associate) St Lucia is progressing along a geological trajectory that has taken it from its ancestral form of a large deep estuary with major connections to the...

March 13, 2026

Featured Research News and Events

Global Scientists Gather at NRF-SAIAB for Species Discovery Workshop After Comoros Expedition

From 26 January to 13 February 2026, the NRF-South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB) hosted the Nekton Ocean Census Comoros Species Discovery Workshop in Makhanda. The workshop formed part of the broader Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census programme, a global...

February 20, 2026

Featured Research News and Events

Building regional expertise in Aquatic Biodiversity: highlights from the NRF-SAIAB/BIUST research visit

By: Dr. Yonela Sithole (NRF-SAIAB), Dr. Thethela Bokhutlo (BIUST), and Mr. Daniel Nkosinathi Mazungula (NRF-SAIAB) Regional capacity building lies at the heart of the mandate of the National Research Foundation’s-South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB). In line with this...

February 6, 2026

Featured Research

NRF-SAIAB Briefing Note: Developing nd Applying Indicators to Support Marine Ecosystem Assessments

Prepared by: Kaylee P. Smit, Anthony T.F. Bernard & Kerry J. Sink Objective – This technical brief provides an outcome-based synthesis of current research on ecological indicators for assessing the condition of marine ecosystems. It draws primarily from the review...

December 12, 2025

Featured Research

NRF-SAIAB Briefing Note: Shark and Ray Conservation in Southern Africa

Prepared by: Rhett Bennett & Taryn Murray Objective – A briefing note aims to provide a concise outcome based synopsis of recent research or expert opinion that may inform decision making and activities by authorities, NGOs and NPOs. The briefing...

December 12, 2025

Featured Research

NRF-SAIAB Briefing Note: Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems, Implications for Ecosystem Services and Long-Term Solutions

Prepared by: Anusha Rajkaran Objective – A briefing note aims to provide a concise outcome based synopsis of recent research or expert opinion that may inform decision making and activities by authorities, NGOs and NPOs. The briefing note series complements...

December 12, 2025

Featured Research News and Events

Strengthening Capacity for Deep-Sea Research in the Global South | East London, South Africa

By: Kaylee Smit South Africa continues to strengthen its pivotal role in deep-sea research, making contributions that are significant for Africa, relevant within the Western Indian Ocean, and valuable to the wider Global South. From 27 July to 5 August,...

August 22, 2025

Featured Research News and Events

A Race Against Invasion: Exploring the Hidden Life of Kruger’s Rivers

By: Drs. Nompumelelo Baso-Mdiza, Dumisani Khosa and Josie South In May 2025, a diverse team of researchers embarked on a two-week expedition to the Kruger National Park (KNP), one of South Africa’s most iconic conservation areas. Their mission: to explore...

June 26, 2025

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Category: Featured Research