The overall aim of the HOTSPOT project is to contribute to the development of monitoring, management and legislation of marine and maritime pollution in the Gulf of Guinea.
The main objectives of the HOTSPOT project are:
Identification of sources
- To identify the main sources of heavy metals, oil compounds and marine litter (including microplastics).
- To evaluate the importance of maritime activities compared to land-based sources, as pollutant of the marine environment in the coast of Ghana.
Mapping of the effects
- To estimate the effects of key contaminants on the survival, metabolism and production of organisms at different trophic levels, alone and in combination with other contaminants or with increasing temperature.
- To quantify the bioaccumulation of key contaminants in the different levels of the food web.
Improving management
- To identify the most harmful forms of maritime pollution and the most sensitive areas and seasons in terms of ecological effects.
- To recommend the actions to mitigate pollution and to protect the marine areas.
Building of competences and public awareness
- To establish new research collaboration between Denmark and Ghana.
- To enhance the research capacity of PhD and graduate students and junior staff.
- To improve the skills and competences of the professionals working in maritime environment.
- To communicate the importance of management actions to local and national decision-makers and the public.