A Franco-Irish expedition is en route to map deep water coral reefs off this coastline, using a robotic submersible named Victor.
The research expedition left Cork harbour earlier this week on the 84-metre ship, L'Atalante. It serves as support vessel for Victor, a deep-water remotely operated vehicle (ROV) used by Ifremer, the French Institute for Exploitation of the Sea.
Scientists from NUI, Galway, Cork and Dublin (UCD), and the Marine Institute will work with French researchers on the project during a two-week period to August 14th.
The cruise was organised by Dr Anthony Grehan of the Martin Ryan Institute at NUI Galway and involves Irish scientists attached to several EU Fifth Framework projects - the Atlantic Coral Ecosystem Study (ACES), Environmental Controls on Mound Formation along the European Continental Margin (ECOMOUND), and the Internal Mould Factor (GEOMOUND).
Extensive deep water coral reefs, Lophelia pertusa, and carbonate mounds have been identified off the west coast occurring at depths ranging from 600 to 1000 metres.
The World Wildlife Federation has published an inventory, which shows that over 60 per cent of known reefs in the north-east Atlantic occur in Irish waters. This is borne out by first year results of the £25 million National Seabed Survey presented to the Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise, Mr Joe Jacob, a fortnight ago.
They indicate that the deep water coral is far more abundant than previously thought. The reefs form part of Ireland's seabed territory which runs up to 650 miles off the west coast - halfway between Ireland and Iceland.
The coral ecosystems are a significant habitat for juvenile fish that flourish in the reefs. Images of the coral, including a major new development extending for 40 nautical miles west of Rockall, were shown to the Minister of State by the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) in Galway docks last month.
The work was undertaken on the SV Bligh, formerly a British-owned hydrographic vessel which has been refitted with a multibeam sonar and other survey equipment by the Waterford-based international company, Global Ocean Technologies Ltd (Gotech). The Victor will make at least 12 individual dives from L'Atalante and Dr Grehan hopes that this will produce the first comprehensive survey of Irish coral reefs to date.
The unmanned submersible can work at depths of five kilometres and more. It is controlled remotely from the surface support ship and is capable of 24-hour underwater operations, such as recording precise video footage and collecting samples with its robotic arms.
Dr Grehan is chairman of the Irish Coral Task Force which was set up last year to investigate allegations of damage to the reefs by fishing activity. "It is crucial that we establish the degree to which reefs are being affected," he said. "We have a tremendous responsibility to undertake the necessary conservation measures needed to protect them."
He pointed out that Ireland does not have its own deep-water ROV, which is why it has taken over a year to borrow one, "and has required the help of our European neighbours to address the need for basic scientific data concerning the conservation status of Irish coral reefs".
He believes that the time is right to acquire a research ROV as a national facility, in view of the increasing level of economic activity in deeper waters of our Atlantic territory.
It would also develop a "first look" capability which could investigate the exciting results generated by the National Seabed Survey. Naval Service patrol ships could provide a platform for and expertise in operating the equipment.
The L'Atalante is due back into Foynes on August 14th.