CE10014 Deep water coral and fish interaction off the west coast of Ireland

Deep water coral and fish interaction off the west coast of Ireland: Marine Institute funded deep water coral assessment cruise. Spatial data includes assessing the Interactions of corals and fish under CoralFISH FP7 project. In addition, Spatial data includes joint NUI Galway/IFREMER ROV Survey planned in support of Hermione FP7 project. Objective 1. Assessing the interaction of corals and fish (Irish contribution to FP7 CoralFISH project). The proposed cruise is one of a pair of joint NUIG/IFREMER ROV expeditions planned in support of two FP7 Integrating Projects: Hermione (Hotspot Ecosystem Research and Mans Impact on European Seas) and CoralFISH – Assessment of the interaction between corals, fish and fisheries, in order to Develop monitoring and predictive modelling tools for ecosystem based management in the deep waters of Europe and beyond. These cruises will focus on investigating hotspot ecosystems (deep-water corals on Mounds and in canyons), and their interaction with fish, off the Irish and Biscay margins. Objective 2. Ocean acidification and climate change studies Physical/Chemical Oceanography Depth Profiles of temperature, salinity, fluorescence, transmissivity and dissolved oxygen (DO) will be collected along cross Slope transects and at continental margin features (canyons etc.) using the CTD with bottle samples taken at selected locations/depth for ocean carbon Chemistry Ocean carbon Chemistry measurements to be made will include – pH and concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved oxygen (DO) and nutrients Objective 3. Coral Special Area of Conservation Studies