2010 opens a new ‘decade of discovery’ for Irish Marine Science, according to Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Mr. Tony Killeen T.D. who visited the national research vessel R.V. Celtic Explorer in Galway today (Friday 8th January). The Minister met staff engaged in the wide range of scientific and technical services the Marine Institute provides in support of his Department and the sustainable development of Ireland’s marine sector.
Left to Right: Minister Tony Killeen, Dr Peter Heffernan and Marine Institute Chairman Jim Fennell next to the ROV Holland 1. (All photos: Andrew Downes - Galway)
According to Minister Killeen, the national and European investment made in Irish marine science over the past ten years is now showing tangible results in protecting our marine environment and our traditional marine industries while creating new wealth-generating opportunities for the Irish marine sector.
“Progress made in developing national marine research programmes and infrastructure and on the Irish National Seabed Survey to map our 220 million acre marine resource, improved dialogue between scientists and fishermen to explore ways of creating a sustainable fishing industry and new developments under ‘Sea Change – A Marine Knowledge, Research and Innovation Strategy for Ireland’, are all bearing fruit,” said Minister Killeen. “The Marine Institute has earned a high reputation and considerable international esteem both for itself and for Ireland, through its significant contributions to debates on EU and international marine science, its core scientific programmes and strategic planning initiatives and the recent appointment of a senior Institute staff member as Vice-President of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). I am therefore confident that the ambitious goals they have set in realising the development potential of marine functional foods, marine biotechnology, ocean energy and aquatic sensor technology as laid down in the Sea Change strategy can be achieved. Such achievements will represent significant marine contributions to Ireland’s emerging Smart Economy.”
During his tour of the research vessel RV Celtic Explorer Minister Killeen received a full report on the ship’s busy 2009 programme of 330 days at sea including the annual demersal and pelagic fisheries surveys funded under the EU data collection regulations and stock surveys of blue whiting, deepwater fish, and north-west and Celtic Sea herring. He was also briefed on the ‘Coralfish’ survey led by NUI Galway which used the Holland 1 to discover a large and previously uncharted coral reef formation off south western Ireland and heard how the ship had ventured north of the Arctic Circle to investigate the fate of salmon smolt at sea as part of the internationally co-ordinated ‘SALSEA’ programme.
2010 will see the Celtic Explorer undertake further fisheries survey work on mackerel egg levels in the Celtic Sea and on the Porcupine Bank, an acoustic survey of blue whiting off the west coast, studies on deepwater fish on the Porcupine and Rockall Banks, as well as the annual groundfish surveys. Groundbreaking work to demonstrate the feasibility of a Modular and mobile Deep Ocean Observatory (MODOO) will also be undertaken in deep water off the southwest coast.
Minister Killeen was also briefed by Marine Institute Chairman Jim Fennell, CEO Dr Peter Heffernan and a number of project leaders within the Institute on the wide range of new developments in sustainable fisheries management, seabed mapping, wave energy generation, bio-discovery and SMART environmental monitoring systems accomplished by the Marine Institute and its research partners.
“The increasing reputation that Ireland is achieving in marine science is reflected in the significant awards to Irish researchers under the highly competitive EU Seventh Framework Programme (FP7),” said Dr. Heffernan. “Between 2007 and 2009 Irish marine researchers successfully participated in 38 collaborative projects drawing down grant aid in excess of €13.4 million from this fund - over double the average yearly drawdown of €10.6 million over the five-year period of the Sixth Framework programme from 2002 to 2006. This demonstrates that the Irish marine research community is of international standard and capable of competing with the best in Europe.”
Minister Killeen also viewed the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Holland 1, an unmanned submersible capable of taking high definition pictures, scientific measurements and even physical samples from the seafloor at any point in Ireland’s seabed territory. This machine has already proved invaluable in work on projects concerning the sustainable fisheries management and the mapping of sensitive marine habitats.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Dr. John Joyce – Communications Manager, Marine Institute.
Phone: 087 2250871
Notes to Editor
National Research Vessel R.V. Celtic Explorer
In 2009 the ship completed 330 days at sea including; acoustic surveys on stocks of blue whiting as well as Celtic Sea and northwest herring, the annual groundfish surveys which are funded under the EU data collection regulation and take part in three legs covering stocks all round the Irish coast, a deepwater fishing survey, three separate ROV surveys, climate change studies and ecological work on whales and dolphins - see link below:
(http://www.marine.ie/home/publicationsdata/data/VesselSchedules.htm)
Of particular interest is the ‘Coralfish’ survey which investigated the deepwater environments in Irish and French waters using the Holland 1 deepwater ROV. Notable findings of this survey included the discovery of a large previously undiscovered Coral reef formation off south western Ireland – see link below:
(http://www.marine.ie/home/aboutus/newsroom/news/NUIG+scientists+uncover+new+deepwater+coral+reefs.htm)
The Celtic Explorer also ventured north of the Arctic Circle whilst investigating the fate of salmon smolt at sea as part of the internationally co-ordinated “SALSEA” programme - see link below:
(http://www.nasco.int/sas/2009_Irish_survey.html)
During 2009, the vessel successfully completed four charters in German waters on behalf of German research Institutions. A three week ROV and camera survey funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) was also undertaken by the Marine Institute and was highly successful in mapping potential offshore special areas of conservation.
In 2010 the vessel will complete a number of fisheries surveys including the three legs of the annual groundfish survey funded under the EU Data Collection Regulation, acoustic surveys on herring stocks in the northwest and Celtic Sea, and two internationally co-ordinated mackerel egg surveys. Other research surveys planned by Irish researchers and funded under the National Development Plan include; an ROV survey led by NUI Galway, which aims to study deepwater coral and fish interaction off the west coast of Ireland. This will be followed by another ROV survey ROV to investigate the biodiversity of deep water habitats off the west coast and aims to recover material for use in the Marine Biodiscovery Programme.
Other notable surveys include a cetacean survey led by the Irish Whale and Dolphin group which will use visual and acoustic techniques to study the distribution of deep diving cetaceans on the slopes and canyons of the Porcupine Sea Bight and the MODOO survey in which the Marine Institute and a number of international partner organisations will complete work on a MOdular and mobile Deep Ocean Observatory at the deepwater Porcupine abyssal plain site (PAP). This is part of a demonstration mission paid for by the EU-funded ESONET cabled observatory research programme - see link below:
(http://www.marine.ie/home/publicationsdata/data/New+SPS+Survey+Schedule.htm?vessel=Celtic_Explorer)
Remotely Operated Vehicle Holland 1
The Marine Institute operates a deepwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) which was funded by the European Regional Development fund (ERDF). The vehicle is named the Holland I after John Phillip Holland from Liscannor, Co. Clare, Ireland who was an early inventor and builder of submarines.
This 3000 metre-rated system allows an expansion in the level of deepwater research undertaken by Irish researchers as well as being available as a national resource to state agencies in emergency situations, such as casualty investigation, wreck surveys or salvage.
The ROV system was designed and built by SMD Ltd (Newcastle, UK) and is designed to be capable of accommodating a wide range of user equipment without modification from the outset. Ample space is available within the vehicle frame for accommodation of scientific payload, numerous survey ports for a wide variety of equipment including multi-beam, CTD ( water salt content, temperature and depth), and nutrient sensors as well as numerous spare serial and I/O ports which have been incorporated into the system to allow a wide range of scientific sensors to be deployed.
The vehicle is equipped with a high level of auto control features including auto hold which is invaluable in the completion of delicate scientific tasks. The vehicle is also equipped with the latest underwater camera equipment including a HDTV camera and recording system to allow the capture of high definition footage for a variety of uses.
The system is a fully contained system including launch and recovery systems and whilst primarily designed to operate from the RV Celtic Explorer, is readily capable of mobilization from a range of suitable vessels as required. Its high definition video cameras have already proved invaluable in work on sustainable fisheries management and the mapping of sensitive marine habitats - see link below:
(http://www.marine.ie/home/services/researchvessels/ROV.htm)