My name is Okke Schraa, 3rd-year student of Applied Biology at Aires College of Applied sciences, Almere, Netherlands. I joined the Marine Ecology team of Archipelagos between April and June 2022 to study the artificial reef designs implemented by Archipelagos Marine Life Institute.
During my internship, I did underwater snorkel surveys by placing cameras to collect footage of fish activity around the artificial reefs. I then analyzed the footage studying the abundance of fish and the number of species that were active around the artificial reefs. The collected data were added to the Archipelagos database and will be used to study the effectiveness and efficiency of each artificial reef design. These data can then be compared, allowing us to further our knowledge of artificial reefs and develop new designs for the future.
Part of my research was also to observe the Mediterranean damselfish (Chromis chromis), and study which artificial reef is most suited for this particular species.
Why did I choose the Archipelagos for my internship?
I decided to do my internship in Archipelagos due to the organization’s ideals and goals and for their contribution to environmental conservation as well as the education of people through the results of studies. I strongly believe these are noble goals and being part of an organization that strives towards them was more than an intriguing experience.
Additionally, living in an Aegean island in Greece and working with people from all over the world was an exciting and insightful experience opportunity as I became got to know many different cultures and experience the daily life of a completely different country.
Okke Schraa, Marine Ecology intern, Aeres University of Applied Sciences, Applied Biology BSc
