site.bta32nd National Antarctic Expedition Adds New Fish Species to Bulgarian Collection

Two fish species which are new to the Bulgarian collection of Antarctic fish have been caught near Bulgaria's St Kliment Ohridski Antarctic Base. They are the dragonfish (Parachannichthys charcoti) and the Antarctic lanternfish (Electrona antarctica), a key element of the food chain of the Southern Ocean.

These small fish are the most numerous vertebrates on Earth. They inhabit the depths of the ocean - the twilight zone, where light is scarce. Оrgans on the surface of their bodies produce light and through this phenomenon, called bioluminescence, the fish communicate with one another.

Lanternfish play an important role in transporting carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean depths as they feed on plankton from the surface layers. They head for the ocean depths and themselves serve as food to bottom-dwelling fish.

In addition to the new species, Bulgarian scientists have often caught Notothenia coriiceps and ice fish off Livingston Island.

The fish caught by the team of Prof Eliza Uzunova, marine biologist and hydrobiologist, are held in containers of water on board the Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) until they are studied.

Studies include analysis of the parasite fauna of the fish. The diversity of micro-organisms in the digestive tract of fish is also studied as the micro organisms affect their health status and overall condition. Scientists take into account the fact that it is currently the breeding season of most fish in the area. They only take the minimum number of fish required for the studies.

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Boat guide Elka Vassileva and Alexander Nedyalkov, photographer and cameraman of the 32nd Bulgarian Antarctic expedition, fetched Bulgarian climbers Doychin Boyanov and Marcho Paunov, who scaled Chepelare Peak in 10 hours. They did so together with geologist Kalin Naydenov, who took samples from Chepelare Peak on False Bay, and climber Kiril Doskov. Doskov and Boyanov are project assistants to the geologist.

For the first time in the history of the Bulgarian expeditions, a team of Bulgarian geologists and supporting mountaineers descended on the southern shore of False Bay to work on Kalin Naydenov's project. Mountaineer Doychin Boyanov and logistician Marcho Paunov made a successful first ascent of Chepelare Peak and took samples. The team also included Kiril Doskov, who was part of the 1984 Everest climbing team together with Hristo Prodanov.

Chepelare Peak is named after the southern Bulgarian town of that name. The great patriot and benefactor of the Bulgarian expeditions, Krastyo Vangelov, lives there. His help over the years and the equipment provided by the Orion ski maker have been essential to this climb and the expeditions so far.

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Assoc. Prof. Lyubomir Kenderov, a hydrobiologist, and Assoc. Prof. Raina Hristova, a marine geologist, have managed to take water samples from the fifth location since they started work during the expedition. The water was measured for oxygen content and hydrogen concentration, which is an indicator of the processes of photosynthesis. If there is a plankton bloom, the oxygen content is higher. The decay of organic matter on the bottom, PH and salinity were also measured. As the ice melts in the Antarctic summer, salinity varies from site to site.

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During the 32nd Bulgarian expedition to Antarctica, which started on November 8, 2023, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is publishing video interviews with Antarctic researchers. Video journalist Emil Granicharov, Senior Editor at BTA, will document the work of the researchers in video diaries. BTA presents all scientific projects with videos, photos and texts prepared before the scientists' departure.

The Bulgaria-Antarctica BTA's Log again provides coverage of the voyage of the Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii to Antarctica and back and its stay there, as it did during the 31st expedition between December 27, 2022 and May 2, 2023. Back then, only BTA had a correspondent, Daily News Editor Konstantin Karagyozov, who covered the 127-day expedition with text, video and photos during the entire voyage (including across the Atlantic in both directions) and throughout the stay in Antarctica. In June 2023, BTA published in Bulgarian and in English an issue of its LIK magazine "To Antarctica and Back under the Bulgarian Flag" dedicated to the historic expedition. 

All of BTA's information on the Bulgarian scientific research in Antarctica and the support provided by the Bulgarian naval research vessel, as well as on the other activities at the Bulgarian Antarctic Base, will be available to all media outlets in Bulgarian and in English on BTA's website in the Bulgaria - Antarctica: BTA's Log section.

BTA has a National Press Club on board the ship and is planning to open a National Press Club at the Bulgarian Antarctic Base on Livingston Island.