Our Ocean biodiversity monitoring partnership and eDNA project

For this project we’ve connected NatureMetrics, a company that can measure biodiversity levels in seawater with SailGP Germany, an elite sailing team as well as local scientists and research groups.

Each partner in this initiative brings a different perspectives and set of skills: 

• NatureMetrics are providing technical expertise for the project through provision of water sampling kits and training on how to use them, analysis of the resulting samples and their expertise on related areas including data visualisation and sampling strategy.
• Nature, of course, happens locally. This is how we experience it. Local scientists and conservation groups, therefore, will play a fundamental role through their knowledge about optimal sampling points, location-specific marine life and data. In Bermuda, for example, we are working with Whales Bermuda, in New York with Gotham Whale, in Sydney with Wild Sydney Harbour and in Sassnitz with the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and its SOOP (“Shaping an Ocean of Possibilities”) innovation platform.
• The water samples are being collected during SailGP sailing races by the Germany SailGP team. The increasingly popular SailGP races can provide access to multiple sampling locations and, through large and growing broadcast audiences, promote the importance of being active in nature and ensuring its sustainability.  
• The initiative stems from our long-standing partnership with ORRAA (Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance), which provides the foundation for Deutsche Bank’s Ocean commitments.  

We believe that eDNA provides an exciting way to get new information in key areas about species presence, helping inform future community action and conservation efforts. We hope this project will inspire people and help them gain a deeper appreciation for marine biodiversity. It is truly valuable – and we need to look after it.