ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — Indonesia’s deep ocean, long considered one of the least explored regions of the Indo-Pacific, is finally coming into focus.
A joint expedition between Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and global ocean exploration organization OceanX has uncovered 14 megafauna species and mapped previously undocumented underwater seamounts in the waters off North Sulawesi, marking a major milestone in the country’s deep-sea science.
The discoveries were made during the “OCEANX–BRIN Collaborative Deep-sea Research and Capacity Building Program 2025 – Mission Leg 2”, conducted from 5 to 24 January 2026.
The mission combined biodiversity surveys, oceanographic research, pelagic observation, and studies of fish aggregating devices (FADs)—highlighting how advanced science is beginning to fill long-standing knowledge gaps in Indonesia’s vast maritime domain.
According to Nugroho Dwi Hananto, Director of Research Vessel Management at BRIN, the expedition reflects Indonesia’s strategic push to build long-term independence in ocean exploration.
“If Indonesia is to truly understand and protect its marine environment, we must strengthen our own research ecosystem—from vessels and technology to human capacity and sustainable funding,” Nugroho said quoted on January 27, 2026.
Operating from the state-of-the-art research vessel OceanXplorer, the team identified 14 megafauna species, including 10 marine mammals, two shark species, and two sea turtles, according to Andrew Craig, OceanX’s ROV Program Lead.
Marine mammal researcher Sekar Mira of BRIN explained that several species were detected through aerial surveys using the ship’s helicopter, including sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and various beaked whales.
“One of the most significant encounters was Indopacetus pacificus, or Longman’s beaked whale. If confirmed, it would represent a new biodiversity record for Indonesian waters,” Sekar said.
Beyond visual sightings, the expedition employed environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, a non-invasive technique that detects genetic traces of marine life in seawater—allowing scientists to identify megafauna without disturbing the animals.
“This is essentially whale research without harpoons,” said Andhika Prima Prasetyo, a researcher at BRIN’s Applied Zoology Research Center. “eDNA allows us to study species distribution not only across the ocean surface, but also vertically through different depths.”
The mission also deployed two crewed submersibles with distinct roles. Nadir was used primarily for high-resolution visual documentation, while Neptune was dedicated to scientific sampling.
According to Ilham from the Indo Ocean Foundation, Nadir conducted video transect surveys to document biological communities on deep-sea seamounts off North Sulawesi—underwater mountains that play a crucial role as biodiversity hotspots but remain poorly studied in Indonesian waters.
Neptune, meanwhile, was equipped with Niskin bottles for collecting water samples, robotic arms for retrieving biological specimens, and a bio box to preserve samples during ascent for onboard laboratory analysis.
As Lead Scientist, Pipit Pitriana of BRIN’s Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution emphasized that the findings significantly expand baseline biodiversity data for eastern Indonesia and provide a scientific foundation for evidence-based marine conservation policies.
The expedition also carries broader implications beyond science. BRIN Vice Head Amarulla Oktavian highlighted the importance of learning from OceanX’s advanced research infrastructure as Indonesia develops its own next-generation research vessels.
“All research outputs must be properly documented and stored in the national scientific repository. Going forward, Indonesia will continue deep-sea exploration using its own vessels—equipped with technology that must be no less advanced,” Amarulla stressed. (AT Network)
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