Fish Expedition in the news!

How does the fish library help with Singapore's food security and in marine conservation? And just exactly how do you build a fish library? Readers of the Straits Times find out in this article on 16 Nov 2019.

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Plus a fun look at our fishes too!

Here's a closer look at the articles.

Fish Expedition Day 12 - The End

Today we pack up and have a last meal together as the Expedition ends.

And a last look at some photos shared by Dr Jeffrey Low of the marine life that the dive team saw during their surveys.

Fish Expedition Day 11 - Last surveys!

The last surveys happen today! At Pulau Hantu by the intertidal team and the dive team.

Photo by Dr Zeehan Jaafar.

Last night, the divers did a very strenuous night dive. And Jahson shared about a sea turtle seen at an earlier dive! Although we are tired, we are sad that the Expedition is coming to an end. The Expedition leads surprise everyone with lovely thank you gifts.

Fish Expedition Day 10

Second last day of the Fish Expedition and there's a flurry of activity!

Photo by Toh Chay Hoon

The intertidal team are the first to sample, this time at Kusu Island at high tide. The dive team did a morning and night dive. While the angling team sampled at Changi.

Fish Expedition Day 9 - National Day!

On National Day, the team works extra hard on Singapore's fish library!

Photo by Liz Lim

The intertidal team pulls the net FIVE times at Seringat Kias, and find many fishes including some huge ones. The dive team return with very interesting finds. To celebrate National Day, everyone gets treated to durians! A different kind of smelly from fish.

Fish Expedition Day 8

The Singapore Marine Fishes Expedition restarts after a much needed day of rest.

The dive team came back with big fishes! While the intertidal team had a muddy day at Pasir Ris Park. Also some glimpses into the angling team's catch on 5 Aug.

Fish Expedition Day 7 - Why do we need to kill the fishes?

There have been some comments on social media that we should not kill the fishes for the Singapore fish library. Instead, the suggestion is that we should just keep photos or even just have paintings of fishes in the Singapore fish library.

Scientists working on the fish library.

Here's more on why this is not possible if we want to have accurate science that helps protect fishes and humans that eat fish and need clean water. And how having a fish DNA library actually means scientists do not have to kill as many fishes in the future.  Much fewer fishes are killed for the fish library, compared to the many many many more fishes killed to be eaten or by pollution or other ways that do not add to science.

Today is a day of rest for the Singapore Marine Fishes Expedition. I'm going to take this time to explain why we need actual real fishes for the Singapore fish library.

Fish Expedition Day 6 - St John's Island

Just a few minutes from the Central Business District are the living shores of St John's Island! The intertidal team samples these shores today for the Singapore Marine Fishes Expedition 2016 and find many fishes!

The angling and diving team also work hard to get samples, which are processed in the lab for the fish library.

Fish Expedition Day 5 - Chek Jawa on super sampan

The Singapore Marine Fishes Expedition 2019 goes to Chek Jawa this morning.

Chek Jawa among Singapore's last intact intertidal flats with mangroves, sandy shores, seagrass meadows and more. Thus, not surprisingly, we find a lot of fishes. Yesterday, the anglers were sampling at Bedok Jetty. They not only got nice fishes but also saw a sea turtle!

Fish Expedition Day 4 - East Coast Park

Another predawn intertidal trip for the Singapore Marine Fishes Expedition 2019! This time, we sample East Coast Park where seagrasses have settled at the mouth of a canal and nearby seawalls also have corals growing on them.

We encounter an astounding variety of fishes!

Fish Expedition Day 3 - Changi and more!

Well before sunrise, sampling began at Changi for the Singapore Marine Fishes Expedition 2019.

We found a wide variety of fishes as we tried out some netting methods. I also got a first look at the work being done by the angling team to gather samples for the fish library.

Fish Expedition Day 2 - Hantu

Day 2 of the Singapore Marine Fishes Expedition 2019 starts at 4am! With a small team heading out to Pulau Hantu to survey the intertidal on a very low tide.

We find a wide variety of fishes! Later at the lab, the real work on the fish library goes on throughout the day. I also sneak in a quick look at Hantu - the coral reefs seem fine, although seagrasses are not doing well.

Codefish-SG: How to build a Singapore fish library

Today is the launch of the Singapore Marine Fishes Expedition 2019! Scientists and volunteers are coming together for 12 days to build a fish library.

Why do we need a fish library? Why is it even important to know what fishes Singapore has?