An abundance of deep-water coral and a continuous earthquake which is contributing to a major landslide on the Rockall Trough have been identified by the State's £25 million national seabed survey during its first research year.
The deep-water coral is far more extensive than previously thought and forms part of Ireland's seabed territory, which runs up to 650 miles off the west coast. Young fish flourish in such coral ecosystems.
Images of the coral and of the most spectacular landslides on the Rockall Trough were presented to the Minister of State for Public Enterprise, Mr Joe Jacob, at Galway docks yesterday. The Minister was on board the SV Bligh, contracted to the Geological Survey of Ireland.
Mr Michael Geoghegan, of the GSI, said the landslides were recorded before, but this was the first time they had been delineated in an area the size of counties Galway and Mayo. The trough is deeper than the Grand Canyon and dates to the formation of the Atlantic Ocean millions of years ago.
The Bligh, a former British navy hydrographic vessel, is one of three ships owned by the Waterford company Global Ocean Technologies Ltd (Gotech), a leader in deep-sea research. It is fitted with sophisticated equipment, including a multi beam sonar which interprets reflections of soundwaves bounced off the sea floor. The instrument can tell what type of material is on the seabed and if there are resources beneath.
The seabed survey is mapping an area 10 times the size of Ireland, and the information will be used in the State's case for extending its seabed territory under the UN Law of the Sea Convention. About two-thirds of the study's first phase has been completed in water depths exceeding 200 metres.
The researchers collected weather data for Met Eireann, and information for Bord Iascaigh Mhara. Representatives of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and bird, whale and dolphin spotters from University College Cork are also involved. Initial maps and general survey results are already being published by the GSI.
The Minister said the information would be of major significance to oil and gas explorers and telecommunications companies laying fibreoptic cable.
Early next month, scientists led by Dr Anthony Grehan of NUI Galway will undertake further surveys of the reefs using a remotely operated vehicle.
