Nwabisa Malongweni

I am from a small coastal town named Port St. Johns in South Africa. I have a BSc degree in Biological Sciences from Walter Sisulu University, Honours in Biodiversity & Conservation Biology from the University of the Western Cape, and Master’s in Applied Ocean Sciences from the University of Cape Town. I am currently enrolled for PhD in Oceanography course. Previously I have worked as an intern at Fisheries national department. I was working in small pelagic fish species, doing fish biologicals and parasite work. All my previous projects have been in fish biology, focusing on the spatial variability in the number of vertebrae of South African anchovy relative to temperature and investigating seasonal variability in infection of male sardines by a coccidian testicular parasite. My research interests lie in the marine biology field and ocean sciences.

My current project is investigating the formation and composition of the benthic nepheloid layer on the Agulhas Bank of South Africa. This project forms part of the SOLSTICE South African case study which aims to address the causes of the Chokka squid fishery collapse in 2013, as the fishery plays a huge role in the South African economy by providing job opportunities. I have benefitted from the project by having the opportunity of working with international research experts and by being introduced to new sampling and lab techniques such as using the marine snow catcher. My memorable experience was partaking in March 2019 research cruise where I was collecting data for my study. I also got to travel outside South Africa for the first time, when I attended the SOLSTICE meeting in the UK in February 2020.