Scientists, volunteers take part in biggest marine life audit

An assortment of sea creatures dredged up from the seabed near Pulau Serangoon, also known as Coney Island, which is off Punggol. The creatures, orginally covered in mud from the seabed, were given a rinse through and await an initial phase of sorting on the dredging vessel. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

A team of marine scientists on their way to Chek Jawa from Outward Bound Singapore in Pulau Ubin. They will descend onto Chek Jawa during low tide to collect samples for the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

A team of marine life scientists specialising in various areas of marine life arrive at Chek Jawa via a small boat with equipment, which they will use to collect marine life samples for the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Marine biologists Tipamat Upanoi (left) and Vararin Vongpanich (right), both 42, from Phuket Marine Biological Center, Thailand, board a small boat to Chek Jawa to collect samples for their research for the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey. Dr Tipamat specialises in the studies of peanut worms while Dr Vararin specialises in marine bivalves. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Marine life scientist Arthur Anker, 39, from NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute, looks for marine life within a block of decaying wood for signs of life on the seabed of Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin during low tide. Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Graduate student William Ludt (unseen) looks through a fish net for marine life samples at Chek Jawa. A crustacean with barnacles growing on it is on the right. Various methods of collecting marine life samples for the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Research were used, including casting a net near the shoreline of Chek Jawa at low tide and pulling it across the seabed to collect samples. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Dr Joelle Lai, (left) and Dr Arthur Anker of NUS panning for shrimp, which Dr Anker studies, on Chek Jawa's sea grass beds. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Shot of a large sea anemone lying on the seabed of Chek Jawa. Chek Jawa is well-known for its biodiversity which includes sea anemones and lush sea grass. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Seabed survey for Singapore's first and largest marine survey expedition. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Seabed survey for Singapore's first and largest marine survey expedition. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Seabed survey for Singapore's first and largest marine survey expedition. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Marine biologist Dr Bertrand Richer de Forges, (right), 64, and NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute research assistant Lim Swee Cheng (left), 35, after hauling up a netful of marine life from the seabed off Pulau Serangoon (also known as Coney Island) near Punggol. Dr Richer de Forges washes away the mud from the marine life dredged in from the 18m deep seabed to prepare them for an initial round of sorting on the dredging vessel. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Scientists and volunteers pick at a tray of marine life dredged up off Pulau Serangoon, also known as Coney Island, near Punggol. The larger animals such as crabs, prawns, stingrays, squid, sea cucumbers and so on are categorised in an initial phase of sorting that happens on the dredging vessel, Galaxea. The tinier animals are sorted by a team of volunteers at a work shed at Outward Bound Singapore on Pulau Ubin after the dredging vessel returns to Pulau Ubin. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute research assistant, Lim Swee Cheng (left), 35, and marine biologist Dr Bertrand Richer de Forges hoist up the beam trawl used in dredging the sea bed off Pulau Serangoon (also known as Coney Island) near Punggol. Samples of marine life on the sea bed, and swimming above the beam trawl are captured for the survey. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Research assistant, Lim Swee Cheng, 35, from the NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute gives a tray of marine life dredged up from a depth of 18m off Pulau Serangoon (Coney Island) a rinse. Pulau Serangoon is near Punggol. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Samples of brittle stars lie labelled and ready for preservation. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Volunteers sorting through trays of tiny marine creatures at a temporary work shed at Outward Bound Singapore on Pulau Ubin. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Echinoderms, which include marine life like sea stars, sand dollars and sea urchins, are preserved in ethanol. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Squids (a smaller one and a larger one at the bottom of a pail) that were dredged in during a morning trip out to the waters off Coney Island, which is also known as Pulau Serangoon, near Punggol. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

A sea star collected lies on a tray at the work shed at Outward Bound Singapore labelled and prepared for photography. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

A masked burrowing crab that was found. Seabed survey for Singapore's first and largest marine survey expedition. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Scientists gather in a temporary laboratory at Outward Bound Singapore on Pulau Ubin to study specimens brought in from field trips and dredging. Some 20 international experts were invited here for the 3-week survey, specialising in various groups of animals like anemones, gobies, marine parasites and snails. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Pony fish found. Seabed survey for Singapore's first and largest marine survey expedition. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

A crustacean from Chek Jawa's seabed. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN