Acronym MMMonKey_Pro
Category
Fisheries
Title Mapping, Modelling and Monitoring Key Processes and Controls on Cold-water Coral Habitats in Submarine Canyons Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Andy Wheeler Coordinator email NA
Coordinator institution
UCC - University College Cork (Ireland)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2017 End year 2020 Funding (€) € NA Website NA Summary Submarine canyons are dynamic environments that support diverse biological communities including fisheries. Recent work on the Irish Porcupine Bank Canyon (PBC), a natural laboratory isolated from terrigenous input, has revealed extensive speciose, high biomass cold-water coral (CWC) structural habitats. This “big science” project uses Irish state-of-the-art and new innovative marine exploration and analysis technologies to explore and monitor the PBC-CWC habitats and relate to ocean-climate environmental dynamics. The project will employ ROV-based multibeam bathymetry and novel 3D photogrammetric approaches for geostatistical analysis and habitat characterisation. Monitoring of canyon hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes, core and coral-morphotype analysis will reveal the process thresholds defining coral sub-habitats’ limits, in space and time, and allow predictive CWC, and habitat sensitivity, models to assist marine spatial planning. By assessing the magnitude of existing anthropogenic impacts within the constraints of the sensitivity model, recommendations can be extrapolated from the data for sustainable, responsible intervention in these habitats for fisheries and hydrocarbon exploration. Likewise, process thresholds will reveal the potential impact-response from climate change facilitating knowledge-based recommendations for effective management. This project adds to Irish seabed mapping capacity, develops a critical mass to generate large consortia, building further capacity and relationships with industrial (hydrocarbon)/international partners.
Keywords
Habitat mapping;
Benthic communities;
Environmental impact;
Fisheries management;
Monitoring;
Physical disturbance;
Marine Region
30
Porcupine Bank (27.VIIc)
1
Marine Region Map
