Marine & Coastal Research Excellence
The Ocean and Coastal Systems Laboratory at KMFRI Headquarters in Mombasa is the Institute's primary facility for marine science research, supporting investigations into oceanography, coastal ecology, water quality, and remote sensing applications. The lab provides analytical services to KMFRI researchers and collaborating institutions throughout the Western Indian Ocean region.
Research Areas
Physical Oceanography
Measurement and modelling of ocean currents, temperature, salinity, and sea-level variability along Kenya's coastline and continental shelf.
Coastal Ecology
Biodiversity assessments of coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and sandy shores with focus on ecosystem health indicators.
Water Quality Analysis
Chemical and biological analysis of seawater samples for nutrient concentrations, pollutants, microplastics, and harmful algal blooms.
Remote Sensing
Ground-truthing of satellite chlorophyll, turbidity, and SST products for fisheries and habitat mapping applications.
Key Equipment & Instruments
- SBE CTD rosette profiler
- Niskin water samplers
- Current meters & tide gauges
- Optical backscatter sensors
- UV-Vis spectrophotometers
- Plankton nets & nets (10-200 µm)
- Fluorometers (chlorophyll-a)
- Nutrient auto-analysers
- GIS workstations (ArcGIS, QGIS)
- Drone (UAV) for coastal surveys
- Multibeam echo-sounder
- ERDAS & SNAP image processors