Background: Towards end of 2006, Mozambique contacted the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for the services of "Dr. Fridtjof Nansen" to survey the marine ecosystem of Mozambique under the new FAO programme “Strengthening the Knowledge Base for and Implementing an Ecosystem Approach to Marine Fisheries in Developing Countries”, for convenience often called the Nansen EAF Programme. "Dr Fridtjof Nansen", operated by Institute of Marine Research (IMR), is the main platform for collecting information on the state of the ecosystem in partner countries. Under the new programme, the partners also now have to cover for about 40% of the operation costs, the remaining part is covered by Norway. Mozambique was allocated 86 survey days in the period 26 September–21 December.

Background: Fisheries management in Pakistan needs significant renovation and support. Essential is up-to-date knowledge of the fishery sector, the state of the stocks at sea (from the coastal area to offshore deep waters), and the fisheries’ social and economic dynamics. To address the information gaps, the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) with funding from the Government of Pakistan is conducting a major project entitled “Stock Assessment Survey Programme in EEZ of Pakistan through Chartering of Fisheries Research Vessel and Capacity Building of Marine Fisheries Department”. Two other projects are integral to this, namely “Assistance in Planning and Implementing a Marine Fisheries Resources Survey” funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) being implemented by the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen Norway and the FAO UTF project entitled “Support to the Fishery Resources Appraisal in Pakistan” which is funded from the MFD project.

Background: 20.10.2011 R/V Nansen started its 62 days long survey along the coast of Northwest Africa, from Conakry in Guinea up to the Gibraltar strait in north. The survey is an ecosystem survey and different survey techniques will be used to provide a holistic overview of the ecosystem. In addition to the Norwegian staff, 32 persons from 8 different countries will participate on this cruise.