INFOMAR has advised Ireland’s Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport that a hydrographic and geophysical surveys will be undertaken in the Celtic Sea and Atlantic Ocean between April and October 2020.
The INFOMAR Programme (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Irelands Marine Resource), is a jointly managed seabed mapping initiative between the Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute, funded by Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
Covering some 125,000 square kilometers of underwater territory, INFOMAR will produce integrated mapping products covering the physical, chemical and biological features of the seabed.
The Marine Institute will operate two vessels, the R.V. Celtic Voyager and R.V. Celtic Explorer.
The vessels will be towing a magnetometer sensor with a single cable of up to 200 metres in length and a Moving Vessel Profiler cable of variable length up to a maximum of 200 metres.
Geological Survey Ireland will operate four vessels, the R.V. Keary, R.V. Geo, R.V. Mallet and R.V. Lir.
The R.V. Keary, Geo, Mallet and Lir are expected to carry out survey operations in the north west Celtic Sea stretching from The Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork to Cape Clear Island County Cork and on the Atlantic coast, north to Kenmare River.