By Barikui Felix
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), in commemoration of the 2025 International Polychaete Day, has commenced a monitoring exercise of polychaetes (marine worms) in the creek of Bomu, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The initiative is part of efforts to assess biodiversity recovery following ongoing shoreline remediation and mangrove restoration in the area.
International Polychaete Day, celebrated annually on July 1 by the United Nations, honours the study of polychaetes—commonly known as bristle worms—and commemorates the birthday of renowned polychaete scientist, Dr. Kristian Fauchald.
Speaking at the Bomu Creek, HYPREP Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, explained that the benthic study aims to establish a link between the presence of polychaete species, biodiversity recovery, and HYPREP’s environmental interventions in Ogoni. He emphasized that these marine organisms are not only indicator species but also play vital roles in marine food webs and ecosystems.
Zabbey noted that monitoring the diversity and richness of marine worm species provides critical insight into ecosystem improvement. He said marine worms are permanent residents of the environment and highly adaptive, and an increase in their diversity would signal ecological recovery.
He added that while the presence of fish is important for community livelihoods, polychaetes form the foundation of the aquatic food chain, serving as a primary food source for fish. According to him, without a healthy population of these organisms, fish populations would struggle due to lack of food.
The Project Coordinator stated that the biodiversity monitoring would be conducted quarterly and offers valuable research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate interns involved in the project. He also disclosed that HYPREP is collaborating with academic institutions to enhance environmental research and is in discussions with the University of Port Harcourt to establish a Chair in Wetland Research. This chair will focus on monitoring restored mangrove areas, forming part of an intergenerational monitoring programme.
Professor Scott Pegg, a Political Science scholar from Indiana University, Indianapolis, who symbolically planted a mangrove at the Bomu Creek, lauded HYPREP’s efforts in rehabilitating oil-degraded mangrove ecosystems in Ogoni.
It will be recalled that HYPREP recently launched the second phase of its fish stock assessment in the Bomu Creek. This initiative aims to track biodiversity improvement in rehabilitated mangrove areas by examining the relationship between mangrove restoration and fish stock recovery.
