The first mapping of the inshore waters of the seabed off Co Kerry since the mid-1800s has thrown up the possibility of new shipwreck sites being located and has uncovered large sand waves probably deposited during the last Ice Age, according to the Marine Institute.
The national research vessel Celtic Explorer was yesterday surveying the seabed between the Three Sisters near Smerwick Harbour and Brandon Head as part of the integrated mapping for sustainable development of Ireland's marine resource, or Infomar programme, begun last year. The research project is run jointly by the Marine Institute and the Geological Survey of Ireland.
Since mid-April, in the first part of the survey this year, some 2,899 square kilometres off Dingle peninsula, an area the size of Co Limerick, in water depths of between 26 metres and 203 metres, has been examined.
Fishing by international vessels is restricted here under an EU directive which has designated the area as a biologically sensitive area and part of the survey work is to provide more detail on the natural resources of the sea at this point, according to the Marine Institute spokeswoman yesterday.
In the northeast of the zone being studied, a large area of sand waves has been found. These sand waves on the seabed are overlain by shelly sand ribbons and the direction of the waves indicates the dominant current is to the northwest here.
The multibeam sonar survey has identified five distinct seafloor regions within the area. Samples of coral, molluscs, worms and urchins taken from up to 50 stations in the first part of the survey are now being analysed, according to spokeswoman Lisa Fitzpatrick.
Some six likely wrecks have been identified and these are now being compared to known wreck lists to see if new ones have emerged.
The Kerry survey will end on June 4th. The project as a whole is a follow-on to the deep water or national seabed survey which has already taken place. Last year the inshore area near Bantry and Dunmanus Bay in west Cork was examined. Areas off Galway and Waterford are to be looked at later this year.