The fishery research vessel “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen” belongs to the Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD), and was designed and built for scientific and exploratory investigations of fishery resources of developing countries. The Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, is responsible for the scientific programme and the operation of the vessel.
Following an agreement between the Ministry of Fisheries, Kairo and UNDP/FAO and NORAD the vessel was scheduled to undertake a limited survey on the Nile-delta in December 1984. The vessel had been for a major repair in October-November in Greece and as 14 days were available in December before the lay-up for Christmas it was decided to carry out an acoustic survey of the shelf between El Arish and Alexandria. The vessel was about to start a major research programme off South-West Africa in January 1985 and the Egypt survey was also considered as a trial survey to test the vessel and equipment before transfer to the South-East Atlantic.
The scientific staff was:
From the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen:Tore Strømme (cruise leader)From General Authority for Fish Resources Development:
Bjørnar Ellertsen
Karsten Hansen
Bjørn Bakken (instrument chief)
Maria Odete Pedro TRigo (NORAD trainee)
Luis de Anapas Pereira (NORAD trainee)Gen. Dir. Ahmed Z. El Fiky
Mr. Mohamed Reda Hegazy (Biologist)
Miss Olfat Suliman Atya (Biologist)
Mr. Ahmed Elborai (Fishing Master)
