A prehistoric fish called the Coelacanth, but known in the Comoros Islands as the beloved “Gombessa,” swims between modern science and cultural identity.
This 410-million-year-old "living fossil," which Western researchers once believed was extinct until its 20th-century rediscovery in South Africa and the Comoros, serves as an enduring icon of Comorian cultural heritage, survival, and conservation.
Today, the Western Indian Ocean remains one of only two global habitats for the species, and for the Comoros archipelago, it’s an unmissable marker of national identity. It appears on stamps, coins, museum displays, and even the name of the national football team, “Les Coelacanthes”. Ait Ahmed Mohamed Djalim, Head of Les Coelacanthes Supporters Union, claims that “the Coelacanth is more than a football team; it’s a symbol of unity and Comorian pride” - you can feel this sense of pride amplified throughout the national stadium as locals cheer in excitement.
A comorian-led research programme
As part of the First Descent: Comoros mission, we established the first Comorian-led research programme that brings together science, culture, and community pride. Working alongside Nekton, local teams led by Ben Soudjay, Head of Comoros’ Oceanographic Research and Fisheries Departments, are building a research pathway aligned with national priorities.
Fouad Abdou Rabi, Head of the National Parks Authority, describes the species as "a great national pride" and the "flag for the preservation of our ecosystem".
This sentiment is shared by those on the front lines of conservation, such as Noura Issa, an Ecogarde at Coelacanth National Park. "The coelacanth holds particular importance for me because it is a symbol," she reflects. "It is our symbol... we must preserve and conserve it."
Supporting this movement is the Nekton First Descent: Comoros mission - a partnership between the Government of Comoros, Nekton, CORDIO, WildTrust, NRF-SAIAB, and Kensington. While the mission utilised advanced technology to explore the "twilight zone" of mesophotic reefs (30-150m) and deepwater ecosystems, its true engine was the local expertise of Comorian researchers and the knowledge exchange with the international team.
The expedition’s impact is measured by how knowledge is shared and embedded locally. Local-driven ocean literacy is especially important for the younger generations, where students like Elsi Ramona Mohamed envision a future where Comorians are the primary authorities on their own waters. Elsi looks forward to the possibility of "discovering new healthy habitats, as well as species specific to Comoros".
Historically, marine research in island nations has often been external or extractive, but the mission aimed to break that cycle by strengthening the database for 30x30 marine protection commitments and helping develop the next generation of researchers at the University of the Comoros.
A Sustainable Horizon
As the mission vessel returns, the team gets to work. The path to "30x30" (protecting 30% of marine territory by 2030) involves establishing new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) where local fishers and community groups co-manage zones, blending traditional knowledge with modern data.
The stakes are high for those whose survival depends on the water. As Elsi Ramona Mohamed points out, "Fishermen, when they don’t have anything else, they leave school and they have to go to sea because that is where the greatest wealth is. Therefore, it is very important that we preserve this environment so that we can continue to use it in the long term".
Across the Comoros, from the fishermen of coastal villages to the eco-guards of Coelacanth National Park, the ocean is more than a source of food – it’s the heart of daily life, culture, and hope for the future. Despite mounting challenges from overfishing, coastal erosion, and climate change, communities here are uniting to restore and protect the ecosystems that sustain them.
The Comoros is proving that small nations can drive global change by placing science and community at the heart of conservation. It is from the invaluable knowledge of the Comorian fishers and their sightings of the beloved gombessa, that informed the scientific research in the area, to then establish the Parc National Coelacanth (Coelacanth National Park) in 2016. The journey to marine protection was initiated by the guardians of the gombessa. It is through these intersectional learnings that policy and change can be implemented correctly - to help preserve Comorian waters.
