Azores Deep-sea Research — Cruise BlueAzores 2019

BlueAzores 2019

Dives with LULA1000 in Baixo de São Mateus

BlueAzores 2019

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Dives with LULA1000 in Baixo de São Mateus

Location: Baixo de São Mateus

Year: 2019

2 stations

2 dives

20 km transits

1 areas visited

AZORES DEEP-SEA RESEARCH

Summary

Dives with LULA1000 in Baixo de São Mateus

The primary objective of this survey was to evaluate if the Baixo de São Mateus seamount ridge fits the FAO criteria that define what constitutes a Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME). Namely, the IMAR/Okeanos team from the University of the Azores aimed to: characterize the diversity and spatial distribution patterns of benthic communities and commercial fishes in this important historical fishing ground, and document potential fishing impacts on the main structuring species that form the different benthic communities. By utilizing the unique capabilities of the LULA1000 manned submersible, which allowed for close-up observation of steep slopes and vertical walls, the team conducted two exploratory dives covering 3.7 linear kilometers. The data collected on benthic community zonation and anthropogenic pressure was used to perform a formal expert assessment against the five FAO VME criteria, informing management recommendations for the region.

By taking advantage of the collaboration with the Rebikoff-Niggeler Foundation and the use their submersible LULA1000, based in the harbour of Horta (Faial), we aimed to explore the never surveyed seamount ridge Baixo de São Mateus. The primary goal was to explore the never-before-surveyed seamount ridge south of Pico Island to evaluate its potential as a Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME). These dives were conducted under the protocol between IMAR University of the Azores and the Blue Ocean Foundation.

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Statistics

Transits

20 km

Multibeam Bathymetry

km²

Filmed Seabed

3.7 km

Visited Areas

Stations

Dives

Video Footage Recorded

7 hours

Used Storage

Samples

—

Highlights

First visual survey of a key fishing ground: The expedition provided the first-ever in-situ video survey of the Baixo de São Mateus seamount, a historically important fishing area whose benthic communities were previously known only from fisheries bycatch.
The dives identified seven distinct benthic communities with clear depth zonation, ranging from soft-sediment foraminifera fields at 970m to a unique 'living fossil community' of oysters (Neopycnodonte zibrowii) and crinoids (Cyathidium foresti) on vertical walls between 580-715m.
A formal assessment against FAO criteria concluded that, despite the presence of long-lived species like the black coral Leiopathes expansa, the area's overall low species diversity and density do not support its classification as a high-priority VME for conservation in the Azores.
The survey documented evidence of fishing pressure, observing 13 lost fishing lines and some damaged corals, though the overall visible damage to benthic communities was assessed as low.
The LULA1000 submersible captured approximately 7 hours of high-definition 4K video footage, providing a valuable baseline dataset for studying species distribution, behavior, and human impacts on this seamount.

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Location of operation

Baixo de São Mateus

AZORES DEEP-SEA RESEARCH © CRUISES

Stations

BlueAzores 2019

Activities

Video survey (LULA 1000)

Funding

Fundação Oceano Azul

Regional Government of the Azores, PO Açores 2020, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF / FEDER) ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-00056

European Union’s Horizon 2020 818123 (iAtlantic)

Scientific crew

Marina Carreiro-Silva

Principal Investigator

Collaborators

Telmo Morato

Carlos Dominguez-Carrió

Kirsten Jakobsen

Joachim Jakobsen

Jordi Blasco-Ferre

Luís Rodrigues

Cruise report - Dives with LULA1000 in Baixo de São Mateus, Azores

Zenodo

Aug, 2019

4 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.5281/zenodo.6593184

Authors 10.5281/zenodo.6593184

Carreiro-Silva, Marina

Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos Joachim, Jakobsen Kirsten, Jakobsen Blasco-Ferre, Jordi

Rodrigues, Luís

Morato, Telmo

Abstract

Background: Baixo de São Mateus is known for its historical importance as a fishing ground south of Pico Island. Fisheries bycatch information suggests that this seamount may host important deep-sea benthic communities. However, Baixo São Mateus has never been explored with video surveying techniques. By taking advantage of the collaboration with the Fundação Rebikoff-Niggeler (FRN) and the use of their submersible LULA1000, based in the harbour of Horta (Faial), we aimed to explore the never surveyed seamount ridge Baixo de São Mateus. The main objective of this survey was to evaluate if this area may fit the FAO criteria that define what constitutes a Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem. Namely, we aimed to: characterize the diversity and spatial distribution patterns of benthic communities and commercial fishes in this important fishing ground; document potential fishing impacts on the main structuring species that conform to the different benthic communities. Deep-sea benthic communities in Baixo de São Mateus: Overall, approximately 3.7 linear kilometers of seafloor were covered during the two exploratory dives carried out on the southern flank of Baixo de São Mateus. A total of seven benthic communities were identified, showing a clear bathymetric zonation. Remnants of longline fishing gears (e.g. ropes and monofilament lines) were recorded during the two dives, with several broken or damaged colonies of corals and sponges observed. Management recommendations: Based on the assessment described in the report, the seamount ridge Baixo de São Mateus does not fit the FAO criteria to be considered a VME and thus there is no sufficient scientific information to support this area as high priority for conservation in the Azores. Despite the presence of some long-lived species, there was an overall low number of species and communities and in low densities, when compared to other geomorphological features of the Azores region. Baixo São Mateus is an important fishing ground in the Azores. The low natural diversity of the benthic communities observed may suggest that existing fishing pressures in Baixo São Mateus will likely not have produced significant adverse impacts in the existing benthic living communities. However, it should be noticed that the present assessment is based only on two video transects, which covered a limited area of the seamount ridge. It is thus possible that we may have missed some important communities or areas with higher species diversity or other large structuring species. Therefore, continued scientific research is necessary to better understand the distribution of species, as well as the structural and functional role of such deep-sea benthic communities to better define adaptive management and conservation strategies.

North Atlantic basin-scale multi-criteria assessment database to inform management recommendations to protect Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems

Nov, 2020

7 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.5281/zenodo.4279776

Authors 10.5281/zenodo.4279776

Telmo Morato Christopher K. Pham

Laurence Fauconnet

Gerald H. Taranto Giovanni Chimienti Erik E. Cordes

Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió P. Durán-Muñoz Hrönn Egilsdóttir José Manuel González‐Irusta Anthony Grehan Dierk Hebbeln Lea‐Anne Henry Georgios Kazanidis Ellen Kenchington Lénàïck Menot Tina N. Molodtsova Covadonga Orejas Berta Ramiro‐Sánchez

Manuela Ramos

Luís Rodrigues Steve W. Ross José L. Rueda M.m. Sacau-Cuadrado David Stirling

Marina Carreiro‐Silva

Abstract

We applied the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) multi criteria assessment (MCA) method for identifying VMEs in the North-East Atlantic (ICES, 2016a,b; Morato et al., 2018) from ATLAS VME database to provide the first North Atlantic Ocean basin-scale VME assessment. This MCA is a taxa-dependent spatial method that incorporates the fact that not all VME indicators have the same vulnerability to human impacts, and thus should not be weighted equally. By including a measure of the confidence associated with each VME record, this methodology also considers some of the uncertainties associated with the sampling methodologies, the reported taxonomy, and data quality issues. Equally important, this dataset highlights areas in the North Atlantic that have been poorly sampled and that require further attention. Finally, this methodology also allows for the evaluation and comparison of the VME likelihood with spatial fisheries data that may directly generate significant adverse impacts on VMEs. In the data report, we made the “North Atlantic basin-scale VME index dataset” publicly, thus allowing its consultation and use by scientists, managers, or other relevant stakeholders.

GIS layers of seafloor characteristics in the Azores region (North Atlantic), links to files in ArcGIS format

Jan, 2016

1 team member is author

OA Citations 1 DOI 10.1594/pangaea.862152

Authors 10.1594/pangaea.862152

Antonio David Perán Miñarro Christopher K. Pham Patrícia Amorim Frederico Cardigos Fernando Tempera

Telmo Morato

Abstract

Current European legislation such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD; 2008/56/EC) has highlighted the need for accurate maps on the geomorphology of Europe's maritime territory. Such information is notably essential for the production of habitat maps and cumulative impact assessments of human activities (Halpern et al., 2008) necessary for marine spatial planning initiatives (Gilliland and Laffoley, 2008) and assessments of the representativity/sufficiency of marine protected areas networks like Natura 2000. Broadscale satellite bathymetry presently allows the identification of all prominent geomorphic structures present on the seafloor with a high grade of accuracy. However, these datasets and maps still need to be more widely disseminated in the scientific community.In this contribution, we provide an inventory of some important datasets related to the physical characteristics of the seafloor surrounding the Azores Archipelago. The objective is to ensure that our compilation is readily available for any researchers interested in developing species distribution models, or for the management and conservation of natural resources in the region.

Ocean climatology in the Azores region (North Atlantic) and seabed characteristics, links to GIS layers in ArcGIS format

Jan, 2017

1 team member is author

OA DOI 10.1594/pangaea.872601

Authors 10.1594/pangaea.872601

Patrícia Amorim António D. Perán Christopher K. Pham Manuela Juliano Frederico Cardigos Fernando Tempera

Telmo Morato

Abstract

Obtaining a comprehensive knowledge of the spatial and temporal variations of the environmental factors characterizing the Azores region is essential for conservation and management purposes. Although many studies are available for the region, there is a need for a general overview of the best available information. Here, we assembled a comprehensive collection of environmental data for this region. Data sources used in this study included remote sensing oceanographic data for 2003?2013 (sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-a concentration, particulate inorganic carbon (PIC), and particulate organic carbon (POC)), derived oceanographic data (primary productivity and North Atlantic oscillation index) for 2003?2013, and in situ data (temperature, salinity, oxygen, phosphate, nitrate and silicate) obtained from the World Ocean Atlas 2013.

Climate-induced changes in the suitable habitat of cold-water corals and commercially important deep-sea fishes in the North Atlantic

Jan, 2019

3 team members are authors

OA Citations 2 DOI 10.1594/pangaea.910319

Authors 10.1594/pangaea.910319

Morato, Telmo González-Irusta, José Manuel Domínguez-Carrió, Carlos Wei, C Davies, A Sweetman, Andrew K

Taranto, A H Beazley, Lindsay García-Alegre, A Grehan, Anthony J Laffargue, P Javier Murillo, F Sacau, M Vaz, S Kenchington, Ellen L Arnaud-Haond, Sophie Callery, Oisín Chimienti, G Cordes, E Egilsdottir, Hronn Freiwald, André Gasbarro, R Gutierrez-Zárate, C Gianni, M Gilkinson, Kent Wareham Hayes, V E Hebbeln, Dierk Hedges, K Henry, Lea Anne Johnson, Devin S Koen-Alonso, M Lirette, C Mastrototaro, F Menot, Lenaick Molodtsova, Tina Durán Muñoz, P Orejas, Covadonga Pennino, Maria Grazia Puerta, P Ragnarsson, Stefan Aki Ramiro-Sánchez, Berta Rice, J Rivera, Jaime Roberts, J Murray Ross, Steve W Rueda, José Luis Sampaio, Íris Snelgrove, Paul V R Stirling, David Treble, M A Urra, Javier Vad, Johanne Van Oevelen, Dick Watling, L Walkusz, Wojciech Wienberg, Claudia Woillez, M Levin, L A

Carreiro-Silva, Marina

Abstract

We used environmental niche modelling along with the best available species occurrence data and environmental parameters to model habitat suitability for key cold-water coral and commercially important deep-sea fish species under present-day (1951-2000) environmental conditions and to forecast changes under severe, high emissions future (2081-2100) climate projections (RCP8.5 scenario) for the North Atlantic Ocean (from 18°N to 76°N and 36°E to 98°W). The VME indicator taxa included Lophelia pertusa , Madrepora oculata, Desmophyllum dianthus, Acanela arbuscula, Acanthogorgia armata, and Paragorgia arborea. The six deep-sea fish species selected were: Coryphaenoides rupestris, Gadus morhua, blackbelly Helicolenus dactylopterus, Hippoglossoides platessoides, Reinhardtius hippoglossoides, and Sebastes mentella. We used an ensemble modelling approach employing three widely-used modelling methods: the Maxent maximum entropy model, Generalized Additive Models, and Random Forest. This dataset contains: 1) Predicted habitat suitability index under present-day (1951-2000) and future (2081-2100; RCP8.5) environmental conditions for twelve deep-sea species in the North Atlantic Ocean, using an ensemble modelling approach. 2) Climate-induced changes in the suitable habitat of twelve deep-sea species in the North Atlantic Ocean, as determined by binary maps built with an ensemble modelling approach and the 10-percentile training presence logistic (10th percentile) threshold. 3) Forecasted present-day suitable habitat loss (value=-1), gain (value=1), and acting as climate refugia (value=2) areas under future (2081-2100; RCP8.5) environmental conditions for twelve deep-sea species in the North Atlantic Ocean. Areas were identified from binary maps built with an ensemble modelling approach and two thresholds: 10-percentile training presence logistic threshold (10th percentile) and maximum sensitivity and specificity (MSS). Refugia areas are those areas predicted as suitable both under present-day and future conditions. All predictions were projected with the Albers equal-area conical projection centred in the middle of the study area. The grid cell resolution is of 3x3 km.

Compilation of records of vulnerable marine ecosystem indicator taxa in the North Atlantic

Jan, 2020

3 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.1594/pangaea.920658

Authors 10.1594/pangaea.920658

Ramiro-Sánchez, Berta Henry, Lea-Anne

Morato, Telmo

Taranto, Gerald Cleland, Jason

Carreiro-Silva, Marina Sampaio, Íris Domínguez-Carrió, Carlos Messing, Charles G Kenchington, Ellen L Murton, Bramley Roberts, J Murray

Abstract

Obtaining a comprehensive knowledge of the spatial variation of deep-sea benthic ecosystems is essential for conservation and management purposes. Here we assembled publicly available information on the positions of vulnerable marine ecosystem indicator species from public databases (OBIS, NOAA and ICES), the published literature and from focused efforts from the Logachev Mounds (NE Atlantic), Tropic Seamount (NE tropical Atlantic) and Bermuda for depths below 200 m. Taxa included hexacorals, octocorals, hydroids, sponges, hydrothermal vents associated species (bivalves, decapods), crinoids and xenophyophores.

Set of terrain (static in time) and environmental (dynamic in time) variables used as candidate predictors of present-day (1951-2000) and future (2081-2100) suitable habitat of cold-water corals and deep-sea fishes in the North Atlantic

Jan, 2020

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 6 DOI 10.1594/pangaea.911117

Authors 10.1594/pangaea.911117

Chih‐Lin Wei José Manuel González‐Irusta

Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió

Telmo Morato

Abstract

We used environmental niche modelling along with the best available species occurrence data and environmental parameters to model habitat suitability for key cold-water coral and commercially important deep-sea fish species under present-day (1951-2000) environmental conditions and to forecast changes under severe, high emissions future (2081-2100) climate projections (RCP8.5 scenario) for the North Atlantic Ocean (from 18°N to 76°N and 36°E to 98°W). This dataset contains a set of terrain (static in time) and environmental (dynamic in time) variables were used as candidate predictors of present-day (1951-2000) distribution and to forecast future (2081-2100) changes. All predictor variables were projected with the Albers equal-area conical projection centred in the middle of the study area. The terrain variable depth was extracted from a bathymetry grid built from two data sources: the EMODnet Digital Terrain Model (EMODnet, 2018) and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO 2014; Weatherall et al., 2015). Slope (in degrees) was derived from the final bathymetry grid using the Raster package in R (Hijmans, 2016) and the Bathymetric Position Index (BPI) was computed using the Benthic Terrain Model 3.0 tool in ArcGIS 10.1 with an inner radius of 3 and an outer radius of 25 grid cells. In order to avoid extreme values, BPI was standardized using the scale function from the Raster package. Environmental variables of present-day and future conditions, including particulate organic carbon (POC) flux at 100-m depth (epc100, mg C m-2 d-1), bottom water dissolved oxygen concentration (µmol kg-1), pH, and potential temperature (°K) were downloaded from the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) Peer-to-Peer (P2P) enterprise system. The epc100 was converted to export POC flux at the seafloor using the Martin curve (Martin, Knauer, Karl, & Broenkow, 1987) following the equation: epc = epc100*(water depth/export depth)-0.858, and setting the export depth to 100 m. Near seafloor aragonite (Ωar) and calcite (Ωcal) saturation were also used as candidate predictors for habitat suitability of cold-water coral species. These saturation states were computed by dividing the bottom water carbonate ion concentration (mol m-3) by the bottom water carbonate ion concentration (mol m-3) for seawater in equilibrium with pure aragonite and calcite. Yearly means of these parameters were calculated for the periods 1951-2000 (historical simulation) and 2081-2100 (RCP8.5 or business-as-usual scenario) using the average values obtained from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory's ESM 2G model (GFDL-ESM-2G; Dunne et al., 2012), the Institut Pierre Simon Laplace's CM6-MR model (IPSL-CM5A-MR; Dufresne et al., 2013) and Max Planck Institute's ESM-MR model (MPI-ESM-MR; Giorgetta et al., 2013) within the Coupled Models Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) for each grid cell of the present study area.

Blue Azores Program Expedition 2018, Station 57, Dive 15: annotation of Paragorgia johnsoni Gray, 1862

Apr, 2021

6 team members are authors

OA Citations 1 DOI 10.5281/zenodo.4727164

Authors 10.5281/zenodo.4727164

Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió

Gerald H. Taranto

Manuela Ramos Oscar Vicente Ocaña

Laurence Fauconnet Emanuel J. Gonçalves

Marina Carreiro‐Silva

Telmo Morato

Abstract

Annotation of Paragorgia johnsoni Gray, 1862 colonies from underwater video footage recorded during the Blue Azores 2018 Expedition with the ROV Luso onboard the NRP Almirante Gago Coutinho, Station 57, Dive 15 (June 23^rd, 2018). The images correspond to the octocoral garden discovered between 545 and 595 m depth on the slopes of a small ridge-like structure located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, in the Azores region.

List of deep-sea benthic video stations collected during the iMAR 2021/Eurofleets+ research cruise in Mid Atlantic Ridge (Azores EEZ)

Jan, 2022

5 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.17882/86110

Authors 10.17882/86110

Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos

Taranto, Gerald H.

Rodrigues, Luís Neves De Sousa, Laura Evans, Susan

Carreiro-Silva, Marina

Morato, Telmo

Abstract

This dataset was collected during the iMAR cruise “The Integrated assessment of the distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) in the Azores region”, that took place aboard the Research Vessel Pelagia of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) between May 19th and June 2nd 2021. The iMAR cruise aimed to evaluate the role of the MAR in shaping latitudinal and trans-Atlantic patterns in deep-sea biogeography, connectivity and assemblages of deep-sea megafauna. This expedition was funded by the SEA OCEANS program of Eurofleets+ and the H2020 European project iAtlantic, and was led by the University of the Azores (Portugal) in collaboration with the Hydrographic Institute and University of Porto (Portugal), the University of Aarhus (Denmark), the National Oceanography Center (United Kingdom), GEOMAR (Germany), the University Museum of Bergen (Norway), the PP Shirshov Institute of Oceanology (Russia), and the University of Vale do Itajaí (Brazil). The deep-sea benthic communities were mapped using the NIOZ towed camera system. The Hopper system generated a series of high-definition video transects in each area explored, starting from the deepest point (set at 1,200 m approx.) and moving upwards towards the seamount or ridge summit (700 m to 300 m depth). During the iMAR cruise, 22 stations for Hopper video transects were performed (Table 1), mainly in the North portion of the MAR inside the Exclusive Economic Zone around the Azores, which produced approximately 54 hours of bottom time, along 48 km of seafloor.

Outputs of predictive distribution models of deep-sea elasmobranchs in the Azores EEZ (down to 2,000m depth) using Generalized Additive Models

Jan, 2022

3 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.1594/pangaea.940808

Authors 10.1594/pangaea.940808

González-Irusta, José Manuel

Fauconnet, Laurence Das, Diya Catarino, Diana Afonso, Pedro Viegas, Cláudia Neto

Rodrigues, Luís Menezes, Gui M Rosa, Alexandra Pinho, Mário Rui Rilhó Silva, Hélder Marques Da Giacomello, Eva

Morato, Telmo

Abstract

Description: We developed predictive distribution models of deep-sea elasmobranchs for up to 2000 m depth in the Azores EEZ and neighboring seamounts, from approximately 33°N to 43°N and 20°W to 36°W. Georeferenced presence, absence, and abundance data were obtained from scientific surveys and commercial operations reporting at least one deep-sea elasmobranch capture. A 20-year 'survey dataset' (1996-2017) was compiled from annual scientific demersal surveys using two types of bottom longlines (types LLA and LLB), and an 'observer dataset' (2004-2018) from observer programs covering commercial fisheries operations using bottom longline (similar to type LLA) and vertical handline ('gorazeira'). We used the most ecologically relevant candidate environmental predictors for explaining the spatial distribution of deep-sea elasmobranch in the Azores: depth, slope, northness, eastness, Bathymetric Position Index (BPI), nitrates, and near bottom currents. We merged existing multibeam data for the Azores EEZ with bathymetry data extracted from EMODNET (EMODnet Bathymetry Consortium 2018) to calculate depth values (down to 2000m). All variables were projected with the Albers equal-area conical projection centered in the middle of the study area and were rescaled using bilinear interpolation to a final grid cell resolution of 1.12 x1.12 km (i.e., 0.012°). Slope, northness, and eastness were computed from the depth raster using the function terrain in the R package raster. BPI was derived from the rescaled depth with an inner radius of 3 and an outer radius of 25 grid cells using the Benthic Terrain Model 3.0 tool in ArcGIS 10.1. Nitrates were extracted from Amorim et al. (2017). Near-bottom current speed (m·s-1) average values were based on a MOHID hydrodynamic model application (Viegas et al., 2018) with an original resolution of 0.054°. Besides the environmental variables, we also included three operational predictors in the analysis: year, fishing effort (number of hooks) and gear type (longline LLA and LLB, and gorazeira).

CTD data collected during the iMAR 2021/Eurofleets+ research cruise in Mid Atlantic Ridge (Azores EEZ)

Jan, 2022

5 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.17882/86106

Authors 10.17882/86106

Evans, Susan Neves De Sousa, Laura

Rodrigues, Luis Mohn, Christian

Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos

H. Taranto, Gerald

Carreiro-Silva, Marina

Morato, Telmo

Abstract

SVP data collected during the iMAR 2021/Eurofleets+ research cruise in Mid Atlantic Ridge (Azores EEZ)

Jan, 2022

5 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.17882/86107

Authors 10.17882/86107

Evans, Susan Neves De Sousa, Laura

Rodrigues, Luis Mohn, Christian

Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos

Taranto, Gerald H.

Carreiro-Silva, Marina

Morato, Telmo

Abstract

List of stations with data collected during the iMAR 2021/Eurofleets+ research cruise in Mid Atlantic Ridge (Azores EEZ)

Jan, 2022

5 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.17882/86103

Authors 10.17882/86103

Morato, Telmo

Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos

Rodrigues, Luís

H. Taranto, Gerald Neves De Sousa, Laura Evans, Susan

Carreiro-Silva, Marina

Abstract

This dataset contain the metadata for all stations conducted during the iMAR cruise “The Integrated assessment of the distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) in the Azores region”, that took place aboard the Research Vessel Pelagia of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research between May 19th and June 2nd 2021. This expedition was funded by the SEA OCEANS program of Eurofleets+ and the H2020 European project iAtlantic, and was led by the University of the Azores (Portugal) in collaboration with the Hydrographic Institute and University of Porto (Portugal), the University of Aarhus (Denmark), the National Oceanography Center (United Kingdom), GEOMAR (Germany), the University Museum of Bergen (Norway), the PP Shirshov Institute of Oceanology (Russia), and the University of Vale do Itajaí (Brazil). Statistics: Cruise duration was 17 days, 2,500 km of transits, 6 areas visited, 5,500 km2 of mapped seabed (mainly in the North portion of the MAR in the EEZ around the Azores), 19 dives with the NIOZ video system that resulted in 54 hours of deep-sea images over 48 km of the seabed, 13 stations for the analysis of water mass properties and to collect sediments, which resulted in 380 samples for environmental DNA, 280 samples for nutrient analyses, 27 sediment samples for geological analyses, 24 for microplastic analyses, 10 samples for bacteriological, and 10 samples meiofauna analyses.

ADCP data collected during the iMAR 2021/Eurofleets+ research cruise in Mid Atlantic Ridge (Azores EEZ)

Jan, 2022

5 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.17882/86019

Authors 10.17882/86019

Mohn, Christian

Rodrigues, Luís

Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos

Taranto, Gerald H. Neves De Sousa, Laura Evans, Susan

Carreiro-Silva, Marina

Morato, Telmo

Abstract

Nutrient data collected during the iMAR 2021/Eurofleets+ research cruise in Mid Atlantic Ridge (Azores EEZ)

Jan, 2022

5 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.17882/86115

Authors 10.17882/86115

Mohn, Christian Larsen, Martin Mørk Evans, Susan Neves De Sousa, Laura

Rodrigues, Luis

Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos

Taranto, Gerald H.

Carreiro-Silva, Marina

Morato, Telmo

Abstract

This dataset was produced during the iMAR cruise “The Integrated assessment of the distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) in the Azores region”, that took place aboard the Research Vessel Pelagia of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research between May 18th and June 2nd 2021. The iMAR cruise aimed to evaluate the role of the MAR in shaping latitudinal and trans-Atlantic patterns in deep-sea biogeography, connectivity and assemblages of deep-sea megafauna. This expedition was funded by the SEA OCEANS program of Eurofleets+ and the H2020 European project iAtlantic, and was led by the University of the Azores (Portugal) in collaboration with the Hydrographic Institute and University of Porto (Portugal), the University of Aarhus (Denmark), the National Oceanography Center (United Kingdom), GEOMAR (Germany), the University Museum of Bergen (Norway), the PP Shirshov Institute of Oceanology (Russia), and the University of Vale do Itajaí (Brazil). Nutrient analysis was performed according to Grasshoff et al, adopted for a 5 channel continues flow analyzer (Skalar San Plus, Skalar Analytical B. V., Breda, The Netherlands). Nitrite and nitrate+nitrite was measured using an ammonia buffer and sulfanilamide/alpha-Naphthylethylene diamine dihydrochloride colour reagent in phosphoric acid, with reduction of nitrate to nitrite by cadmium column of at least 80% measured reduction capacity (90-100% achieved), followed by quantification with spectrophotometric determination of the nitrite-azo dye at 540 nm. Nitrate was determined as the difference between nitrate+nitrite and nitrite measurements. Ammonia was measured using a citrate/tartrate buffer and phenol color reagent, catalyzed by hypochlorite and nitroprusside , followed by quantification with spectrophotometric determination of the phenol-ammonia complex at 630 nm. Phosphate samples reacted with antimo nytartrate and ammonium molybdate solution in sulfuric acidified solution, the resulting complex wasreduced by ascorbic acid to a deep blue dye, followed by quantification with spectrophotometric determination of the reduced antimony-phospho-molybdate complex at 880 nm. Silicate samples was acidified with sulfuric acid and reacted with ammonium molybdate solution, reduced by ascorbic acid to a blue dye with oxalic acid to remove phosphate interference , followed by quantification with spectrophotometric determination of the reduced molybdo-silicate complex at 810 nm. Methods used are accredited with expected detection limit of 0,04 µM for nitrite, 0,1 µM for nitrate, 0,3 µM for ammonia, 0,06 µM for Phosphate and 0,2 µM for silicate, with expected RSD between 4 and 7%for the individual nutrients. Certified reference materials (VKI type QC RW1 for ammonia, phosphate and nitrate) and internal reference materials for Nitrite and silicate was spiked at two levels to natural low nutrient seawater sample for quality assurance, recovering 91-109% of the spike for nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and silicate at with RSD% of 1 to 5%, and recovery of 84-91% for ammonia, with RSDs up to 15%. No corrections was performed on data the recoveries. Except for ammonia, all results was within the acceptance limits for accredited analysis. Analysis was performed over two runs, one with triplicates and then a fourth spare sample was included to investigate the ammonia instability, but it could not be determined if this was due to storage/transport or instrument The “.CSV” files of fully processed data contain data collected mainly in the North portion of the MAR in the Exclusive Economic Zone around the Azores.

Multibeam Raw Data collected during the iMAR 2021/Eurofleets+ research cruise in Mid Atlantic Ridge (Azores EEZ)

Jan, 2022

5 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.17882/85926

Authors 10.17882/85926

Neves De Sousa, Laura

Rodrigues, Luis Veiga, Leonor

Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos Evans, Susan

Taranto, Gerald H.

Carreiro-Silva, Marina Vicente, João

Morato, Telmo

Abstract

The iMAR cruise “The Integrated assessment of the distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) in the Azores region” took place aboard the Research Vessel Pelagia of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) between May 19th and June 2nd 2021. This expedition was funded by the SEA OCEANS program of Eurofleets+ and the H2020 European project iAtlantic, and was led by the University of the Azores (Portugal) in collaboration with the Hydrographic Institute and University of Porto (Portugal), the University of Aarhus (Denmark), the National Oceanography Center (United Kingdom), GEOMAR (Germany), the University Museum of Bergen (Norway), the PP Shirshov Institute of Oceanology (Russia), and the University of Vale do Itajaí (Brazil). During the iMAR cruise we performed 28 stations for multibeam surveys, summing 171:30 hours of surveys, 5,500 km2 of mapped seabed (mainly in the North portion of the MAR in the Exclusive Economic Zone around the Azores), in 8 main areas and during many of the 2,500 km of transits All multibeam data processing was treated by Leonor Neves de Sousa (Instituto Hidrográfico) with the software “CARIS HIPS & SIPS”.These are the .all files of multibeam row data about 28 stations, between 18 May and 2 June, with information about seamounts, ridges and depressions of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the Azores.

Adverse effects of ocean acidification on embryonic survival of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum pertusum

Invertebrate Biology

Jun, 2025

1 team member is author

Citations 1 DOI 10.71161/ivb.144.1.2024.00001

Authors 10.71161/ivb.144.1.2024.00001

Maria Rakka

Marina Carreiro‐Silva Ann I. Larsson

A cost-effective, open-source laboratory system for 3D photogrammetric analysis of corals

Deep Sea Research Part II Topical Studies in Oceanography

Aug, 2025

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 1 DOI 10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105525

Authors 10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105525

A. Romo Cristina Gutiérrez‐Zárate Meri Bilan Andrea Gori Alfredo Veiga Rodrigo Pérez‐Sánchez Maria Rakka

António Godinho Timm Schoening Andrew B. Carey

Marina Carreiro‐Silva Covadonga Orejas

Physiological responses of the cold-water octocoral Dentomuricea aff. meteor to sublethal effects of Cu exposure: A risk assessment to deep-sea mining activities

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Jun, 2025

3 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118248

Authors 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118248

Inês Martins Beatriz Mano

António Godinho Joana Goulart Guilherme Vinícius Teixeira

Marina Carreiro‐Silva

Abstract

The growing commercial demand for metal resources has increased interest in deep-sea mining, raising concerns about the environmental impacts on benthic organisms from metals such as copper (Cu) released during excavation and dewatering processes. Previous research found that the cold-water octocoral Dentomuricea aff. meteor has a lethal Cu concentration (LC50) of 137 μg L^-1, indicating its high sensitivity to Cu. This study investigates the response of the cold-water octocoral D. aff. meteor to sublethal Cu concentrations (5-60 μg L^-1) over a two-week exposure period followed by a two-week recovery phase. Results show that Cu accumulates in both coral tissue and skeleton, with concentrations reaching up to 39 μg g^-1 in tissue and 38 μg g^-1 in skeleton at the highest exposure level. Despite initially maintaining cellular homeostasis, the corals exhibited persistent oxidative stress during recovery, evidenced by elevated levels of lipid peroxidation (MDA), stress signalling (HSP70) and antioxidant biomarkers (CAT, GPx and SOD). This research provides critical insights into how cold-water corals respond to and recover from Cu exposure, emphasizing their vulnerability under mining scenarios. The findings underscore the necessity of regular monitoring of deep-sea mining sites, as delayed toxicity responses could threaten these ecosystems. The study highlights the importance of incorporating such data into industry guidelines and International Seabed Authority (ISA) regulations to balance environmental protection with economic interests. Effective management and periodic reassessment of mining impacts are essential to protect these sensitive deep-sea organisms.

Democratizing deep-sea research for biodiversity conservation

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

Oct, 2025

11 team members are authors

DOI 10.1016/j.tree.2025.09.015

Authors 10.1016/j.tree.2025.09.015

Telmo Morato

Luís Rodrigues

Marina Carreiro‐Silva

João Balsa

Inês Bruno

Inês Carneiro

Laurence Fauconnet

Guilherme Gonçalves Marc P Vilavendrell

Manuela Ramos

Gerald H. Taranto

Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió

Deep-sea ecosystems of the North Atlantic Ocean: discovery, status, function and future challenges

Deep Sea Research Part I Oceanographic Research Papers

Aug, 2025

1 team member is author

OA DOI 10.1016/j.dsr.2025.104580

Authors 10.1016/j.dsr.2025.104580

A. Louise Allcock Diva J. Amon Amelia E.h. Bridges Ana Colaço Elva Escobar‐Briones Ana Hilário Kerry L. Howell Nélia C. Mestre Frank Müller‐Karger Imants G. Priede Paul V. R. Snelgrove Kathleen Sullivan Sealey Joana R. Xavier Anna M. Addamo Teresa Amaro Geethani Bandara Narissa Bax Andreia Braga‐Henriques Angelika Brandt Saskia Brix Sergio Cambronero‐Solano Cristina Cedeño – Posso Jon Copley Erik E. Cordes Jorge Cortés Aldo Cróquer Daphné Cuvelier Jaime S. Davies Jennifer M. Durden Patricia Esquete Nicola L. Foster Inmaculada Frutos Ryan Gasbarro Andrew R. Gates Marta Gomes Lucy V.m. Goodwin Tammy Horton Thomas F. Hourigan Henk‐Jan Hoving Daniel O. B. Jones Siddhi Joshi Kelly Kingon Anne‐Nina Lörz Ana María Martins Véronique Merten Anna Meta×As Rosanna Milligan Tina N. Molodtsova

Telmo Morato Declan Morrissey Beatriz Naranjo‐Elizondo Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy Steinunn H. Ólafsdóttir Alexa Parimbelli Marian Peña Nils Piechaud Stefan Ragnarsson Sofia P. Ramalho Clara F. Rodrigues Rebecca E. Ross Hanieh Saeedi Régis Santos Patrick Schwing Tiago Da Rosa Serpa Arvind K. Shantharam Angela Stevenson Ana Belén Yánez-Suárez Tracey Sutton Jörundur Svavarsson Michelle L. Taylor Jesse Van Der Grient Nadescha Zwerschke

Assessment tool addresses implementation challenges of ecosystem-based management principles in marine spatial planning processes

Communications Earth & Environment

Jan, 2025

1 team member is author

OA Citations 15 Rising DOI 10.1038/s43247-024-01975-7

Authors 10.1038/s43247-024-01975-7

Ibon Galparsoro Natalia Montero Gotzon Mandiola Iratxe Menchaca Ángel Borja Wesley Flannery Stelios Katsanevakis Simonetta Fraschetti Erika Fabbrizzi Michael Elliott María Bas Steve Barnard G.j. Piet Sylvaine Giakoumi Maren Kruse Benedict Mcateer Robert Mzungu Runya Olga Lukyanova

Telmo Morato Annaïk Van Gerven S. Degraer Stefan Neuenfeldt Vanessa Stelzenmüller

Abstract

Abstract Ecosystem-based marine spatial planning is an approach to managing maritime activities while ensuring human well-being and biodiversity conservation as key pillars for sustainable development. Here, we use a comprehensive literature review and a co-development process with experts to build an assessment framework and tool that integrates the fundamental principles of an ecosystem approach to management and translates them into specific actions to be undertaken during planning processes. We illustrate the potential of this tool through the evaluation of two national marine spatial plans (Spain and France), in consultation with the representatives involved in their development and implementation. To ensure more coherent future planning, socio-ecological system evolution in a climate change scenario and the future marine space needs of maritime sectors should be considered, as well as improving the governance structure and knowledge of ecosystem processes. This framework provides a consistent and transparent assessment method for practitioners and competent authorities.

Drivers of trophodynamics of the open-ocean and deep-sea environments of the Azores, NE Atlantic

Progress In Oceanography

Sep, 2024

3 team members are authors

OA DOI 10.1016/j.pocean.2024.103357

Authors 10.1016/j.pocean.2024.103357

Joana Brito Ambre Soszynski Johanna J. Heymans Simone Libralato Eva Giacomello

Laurence Fauconnet Gui M. Menezes

Telmo Morato

From physics to fish: 50 Years of research at Great Meteor Seamount, NE Atlantic

Marine Biodiversity

Jan, 2025

3 team members are authors

OA Citations 1 DOI 10.1007/s12526-024-01484-y

Authors 10.1007/s12526-024-01484-y

Inês Tojeira Miguel Souto Manfred Kaufmann

Manuela Ramos

Marina Carreiro‐Silva Heino O. Fock Kai Horst George Theo Gerkema

Telmo Morato Beatriz Mouriño‐Carballido Hans Van Haren Martin White Joana R. Xavier Teresa Rafael Bettina Martin Henrique N. Cabral José Lino Costa Christian Mohn

Cold-water octocoral interactions with microplastics under laboratory conditions

Deep Sea Research Part I Oceanographic Research Papers

Sep, 2024

3 team members are authors

OA Citations 3 DOI 10.1016/j.dsr.2024.104400

Authors 10.1016/j.dsr.2024.104400

João Pereira

Marina Carreiro‐Silva

Anaïs Sire De Vilar

António Godinho Ceri Lewis Christopher K. Pham

First insights into the embryo and larval biology of the antipatharian coral Antipathella wollastoni

Marine Biology

Mar, 2024

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 1 DOI 10.1007/s00227-024-04412-7

Authors 10.1007/s00227-024-04412-7

Maria Rakka

António Godinho Meri Bilan

Marina Carreiro‐Silva

Rethinking sustainability of marine fisheries for a fast-changing planet

npj Ocean Sustainability

Sep, 2024

1 team member is author

OA Citations 32 Hot DOI 10.1038/s44183-024-00078-2

Authors 10.1038/s44183-024-00078-2

Callum M. Roberts Christophe Béné Nathan Bennett James S. Boon William W. L. Cheung Philippe Cury Omar Defeo Georgia De Jong Cleyndert Rainer Froese Didier Gascuel Christopher D. Golden Julie P. Hawkins Alistair J. Hobday Jennifer Jacquet Paul S. Kemp Mimi E. Lam Frédéric Le Manach Jessica J. Meeuwig Fiorenza Micheli

Telmo Morato Catrin Norris Claire Nouvian Daniel Pauly Ellen K. Pikitch Fabián Piña Amargós Andrea Sáenz‐Arroyo U. Rashid Sumaila Louise Teh Les Watling Bethan C. O’leary

Abstract

Abstract Many seafood products marketed as “sustainable” are not. More exacting sustainability standards are needed to respond to a fast-changing world and support United Nations SDGs. Future fisheries must operate on principles that minimise impacts on marine life, adapt to climate change and allow regeneration of depleted biodiversity, while supporting and enhancing the health, wellbeing and resilience of people and communities. We set out 11 actions to achieve these goals.

A simulation-based approach to assess the stability of marine food-webs and inform Good Environmental Status

Ecological Indicators

Dec, 2023

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 2 DOI 10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111411

Authors 10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111411

Joana Brito Simone Libralato

Telmo Morato

Abstract

The European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) recognises that maintaining marine food-webs in Good Environmental Status (GES) is fundamental to ensure the long-term provision of essential ecosystem goods and services. However, operationalising food-web assessments is challenging due to difficulties in i) implementing simple but complete monitoring programmes, ii) identifying thresholds in monitoring indicators that inform when perturbations are diverting food-web state from GES and iii) in providing an integrative and complete picture of the (health) status of food-webs. In this context, stability assessments of marine food-webs could be useful to identifying the indicators that best track perturbation-induced changes in food-web state and the threshold boundaries that should not be exceeded to minimise the likelihood of losing stability. Yet, there is still a lack of systematic methods to perform such assessments. Here, we evaluate the potential of a simulation-based protocol to be used as a methodological standard for assessing the stability of marine food-webs. The protocol draws on the principles of ecological stability theory and provides a framework for assessing the trajectories of individual indicators during perturbation regimes and their robustness in detecting stability thresholds for marine food-webs. We tested the protocol on an open-ocean and deep-sea food-web modelled with the Ecopath with Ecosim suite. We concluded that indicators that quantify transfer efficiency through the food-web and measure the average trophic level of the community are optimal proxies for trophic functioning and structure to assess the stability of the system. Furthermore, we show how the approach can be applied to i) determine the impact of a loss of stability on the balance between trophic levels and ii) identify the biological components of the food-web that are most affected in scenarios of stability loss. Our findings could be useful for the ongoing debate on how trophic models and derived indicators can play a concrete and practical role in the food-web assessments in European seas.

Spatial distributions, environmental drivers and co-existence patterns of key cold-water corals in the deep sea of the Azores (NE Atlantic)

Deep Sea Research Part I Oceanographic Research Papers

Mar, 2023

6 team members are authors

OA Citations 19 Rising DOI 10.1016/j.dsr.2023.104028

Authors 10.1016/j.dsr.2023.104028

Gerald H. Taranto José Manuel González‐Irusta

Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió Christopher K. Pham Fernando Tempera

Manuela Ramos

Guilherme Gonçalves

Marina Carreiro‐Silva

Telmo Morato

Development of a sensitive detection method to survey pelagic biodiversity using eDNA and quantitative PCR: a case study of devil ray at seamounts

Marine Biology

Apr, 2017

1 team member is author

OA Citations 60 DOI 10.1007/s00227-017-3141-x

Authors 10.1007/s00227-017-3141-x

Laura Gargan

Telmo Morato Christopher K. Pham John A. Finarelli Jeanette E. L. Carlsson Jens Carlsson

A Multi Criteria Assessment Method for Identifying Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the North-East Atlantic

Frontiers in Marine Science

Dec, 2018

1 team member is author

OA Citations 60 Rising DOI 10.3389/fmars.2018.00460

Authors 10.3389/fmars.2018.00460

Telmo Morato Christopher K. Pham Carlos Pinto Neil Golding Jeff Ardron P. Durán-Muñoz Francis Neat

Abstract

<p>In international fisheries management, scientific advice on the presence of "vulnerable marine ecosystems" (VMEs) per United Nations resolutions, has generally used qualitative assessments based on expert judgment of the occurrence of indicator taxa such as cold-water corals and sponges. Use of expert judgment alone can be criticized for inconsistency and sometimes a lack of transparency; therefore, development of robust and repeatable numeric methods to detect the presence of VMEs would be advantageous. Here, we present a multi-criteria assessment (MCA) method to evaluate how likely a given area of seafloor represents a VME. The MCA is a taxa-dependent spatial method that accounts for both the quantity and data quality available. This was applied to a database of records of VMEs built, held and compiled by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). A VME index was generated which ranged from 1.51 to 4.52, with 5.0 being reserved for confirmed VME habitats. An index of confidence was also computed that ranged from 0.0 to 0.75, with 1 being reserved for those confirmed VME habitats. Overall the MCA captured the important elements of the ICES VME database and provided a simplified, spatially aggregated, and weighted estimate of how likely a given area is to contain VMEs. The associated estimate of confidence gave an indication of how uncertain that assessment was for the same given area. This methodology provides a more systematic and standardized approach for assessing the likelihood of presence of VMEs in the North-East Atlantic.</p>

Editorial: The Azores Marine Ecosystem: An Open Window Into North Atlantic Open Ocean and Deep-Sea Environments

Frontiers in Marine Science

Oct, 2020

1 team member is author

OA Citations 6 DOI 10.3389/fmars.2020.601798

Authors 10.3389/fmars.2020.601798

Telmo Morato Pedro Afonso Gui M. Menezes Ricardo S. Santos Mónica A. Silva

Abstract

EDITORIAL article Front. Mar. Sci., 30 October 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.601798

Towards a scientific community consensus on designating Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems from imagery

PeerJ

Oct, 2023

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 16 Rising DOI 10.7717/peerj.16024

Authors 10.7717/peerj.16024

Amy R. Baco Rebecca E. Ross Franziska Althaus Diva J. Amon Amelia E.h. Bridges Saskia Brix Pål Buhl‐Mortensen Ana Colaço

Marina Carreiro‐Silva Malcolm R. Clark Cherisse Du Preez Mari-Lise Franken Matthew Gianni Genoveva Gonzalez‐Mirelis Thomas F. Hourigan Kerry L. Howell Lisa A. Levin Dhugal J. Lindsay Tina N. Molodtsova Nicole B. Morgan

Telmo Morato Beatriz E. Mejía‐Mercado David O’sullivan Tabitha R. R. Pearman David M. Price Katleen Robert Laura E. Robson Ashley A. Rowden James Taylor Michelle L. Taylor Lissette Victorero Les Watling Alan Williams Joana R. Xavier Chris Yesson

Abstract

Management of deep-sea fisheries in areas beyond national jurisdiction by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations/Arrangements (RFMO/As) requires identification of areas with Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs). Currently, fisheries data, including trawl and longline bycatch data, are used by many RFMO/As to inform the identification of VMEs. However, the collection of such data creates impacts and there is a need to collect non-invasive data for VME identification and monitoring purposes. Imagery data from scientific surveys satisfies this requirement, but there currently is no established framework for identifying VMEs from images. Thus, the goal of this study was to bring together a large international team to determine current VME assessment protocols and establish preliminary global consensus guidelines for identifying VMEs from images. An initial assessment showed a lack of consistency among RFMO/A regions regarding what is considered a VME indicator taxon, and hence variability in how VMEs might be defined. In certain cases, experts agreed that a VME could be identified from a single image, most often in areas of scleractinian reefs, dense octocoral gardens, multiple VME species’ co-occurrence, and chemosynthetic ecosystems. A decision flow chart is presented that gives practical interpretation of the FAO criteria for single images. To further evaluate steps of the flow chart related to density, data were compiled to assess whether scientists perceived similar density thresholds across regions. The range of observed densities and the density values considered to be VMEs varied considerably by taxon, but in many cases, there was a statistical difference in what experts considered to be a VME compared to images not considered a VME. Further work is required to develop an areal extent index, to include a measure of confidence, and to increase our understanding of what levels of density and diversity correspond to key ecosystem functions for VME indicator taxa. Based on our results, the following recommendations are made: 1. There is a need to establish a global consensus on which taxa are VME indicators. 2. RFMO/As should consider adopting guidelines that use imagery surveys as an alternative (or complement) to using bycatch and trawl surveys for designating VMEs. 3. Imagery surveys should also be included in Impact Assessments. And 4. All industries that impact the seafloor, not just fisheries, should use imagery surveys to detect and identify VMEs.

Tidal to decadal scale hydrodynamics at two contrasting cold-water coral sites in the Northeast Atlantic

Progress In Oceanography

Apr, 2023

3 team members are authors

OA Citations 8 DOI 10.1016/j.pocean.2023.103031

Authors 10.1016/j.pocean.2023.103031

Christian Mohn Jørgen L. S. Hansen

Marina Carreiro‐Silva Stuart A. Cunningham Evert De Froe

Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió Stefan F. Gary Ronnie N. Glud Cordula Göke Clare Johnson

Telmo Morato Eva Friis Møller Lorenzo Rovelli Kirstin Schulz Karline Soetaert Anna‐Selma Van Der Kaaden Dick Van Oevelen

Abstract

Cold-water corals (CWCs) thrive in areas with complex and rough topography favoring the development of highly diverse benthic communities. Several biotic and abiotic factors including organic matter supply, temperature, bottom roughness and currents are important drivers of ecosystem structure and functioning in deep-sea environments at different spatial and temporal scales. Little is known, however, how basin-scale changes in the ocean climate affect these drivers at local scales. Here, we use high-resolution implementations of the hydrodynamic model ROMS-AGRIF for estimating characteristic spatial and temporal scales of local hydrodynamics in response to variations of basin-scale currents imposed by distinct changes of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in the past century. We focus on two CWC communities on the SE Rockall Bank slope and at Condor Seamount. We considered two contrasting AMOC states that were identified from the 1958–2009 hindcast of the 1/20° resolution VIKING20 North Atlantic basin-scale ocean circulation model and used as boundary conditions for the high-resolution local area models. At SE Rockall Bank, variability of near-bottom currents in both regions was largely dominated by tidal dynamics, but strongly modified by AMOC induced basin-scale variations of water mass properties and bottom currents. During strong AMOC years, waters in the main CWC depth corridor (600–1200 m) were cooler and less saline but were dominated by stronger bottom currents when compared with conditions during weak AMOC years. At Condor Seamount, bottom currents were largely unaffected by AMOC related changes close to the summit at water depths < 400 m. Kinetic energy dissipation rates derived from the 3D near-bottom velocity field appeared to positively relate with the in-situ CWC distribution. Kinetic energy dissipation is therefore proposed as a mechanistic descriptor of CWC presence as it provides a more mechanistic view of hydrodynamics driving organic matter supply to filter and suspension-feeding communities.

FUN Azores: a FUNctional trait database for the meio-, macro-, and megafauna from the Azores Marine Park (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

Jul, 2023

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 8 DOI 10.3389/fevo.2023.1050268

Authors 10.3389/fevo.2023.1050268

Neus Campanyà‐Llovet Amanda E. Bates Daphné Cuvelier Eva Giacomello Diana Catarino Andrew J. Gooday Björn Berning Blanca Figuerola Manuel António E. Malaquias Carlos J. Moura Joana R. Xavier Tracey Sutton

Laurence Fauconnet Sofia P. Ramalho Bárbara De Moura Neves Gui M. Menezes Tammy Horton Andrey Gebruk K. V. Minin Joël Bried Tina N. Molodtsova Mónica A. Silva A. B. Dilman Antonina Kremenetskaia Eudriano F. S. Costa Jameson W. Clarke Helen R. Martins Christopher K. Pham

Marina Carreiro‐Silva Ana Colaço

Abstract

Trait-based approaches that complement taxonomy-based studies have increased in popularity among the scientific community over the last decades. The collection of biological and ecological characteristics of species (i.e., traits) provides insight into species and ecosystem vulnerability to environmental and anthropogenic changes, as well as ecosystem functioning. Here, we present the FUN Azores trait database, describe our approach, evaluate its scope, compare it to other marine trait databases, and explore the spatial distribution of its traits with “functional maps.” While most of the available trait databases to date contain essential information to understand the functional diversity of a taxonomic or functional group, our ecosystem-based approach provides a comprehensive assessment of diverse fauna (i.e., meio-, macro-, and megafauna) from benthic and pelagic environments in the Azores Marine Park; including ridges, seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and the overlying water column. We used a collaborative approach involving 30 researchers with different expertise to develop the FUN Azores database, which contains compiled data on 14 traits representing morphological, behavioral, and life history characteristics for 1,210 species across 10 phyla. The “functional maps” show a distinct distribution of the two most common size classes, suggesting different communities with different functionalities. The following traits had the best scoring coverage (i.e., >95% of the species scored): maximum body size, body form, skeleton material, feeding structure, motility, environmental position, substratum affinity, distribution, and depth range; while traits related to species behavior (e.g., sociability or aggregation tendencies) and life history (e.g., developmental mechanism) had lower scoring coverage, highlighting the need for further research to fill these knowledge gaps. We found a larger number of species in the benthic compared to the pelagic environment and differing species composition between areas within the Azores Marine Park resulting from varying biodiversity, ecosystem types, sampling effort, and methodologies used. The FUN Azores database will foster and facilitate trait-based approaches in the area, develop a framework for expansion of cross-ecosystem and cross-taxa trait databases elsewhere, and improve our ecological understanding of the Azores Marine Park and its conservation requirements.

Systematic evaluation of a spatially explicit ecosystem model to inform area-based management in the deep-sea

Ocean & Coastal Management

Aug, 2023

2 team members are authors

Citations 6 DOI 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106807

Authors 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106807

Joana Brito Ambre Soszynski Christopher K. Pham Eva Giacomello Gui M. Menezes Jeroen Steenbeek David Chagaris

Telmo Morato

Distribution models of deep-sea elasmobranchs in the Azores, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, to inform spatial planning

Deep Sea Research Part I Oceanographic Research Papers

Feb, 2022

3 team members are authors

Citations 20 Rising DOI 10.1016/j.dsr.2022.103707

Authors 10.1016/j.dsr.2022.103707

Diya Das José Manuel González‐Irusta

Telmo Morato

Laurence Fauconnet Diana Catarino Pedro Afonso Cláudia Viegas

Luís Rodrigues Gui M. Menezes Alexandra Rosa Mário Pinho Helder Marques Da Silva Eva Giacomello

Challenges in avoiding deep-water shark bycatch in Azorean hook-and-line fisheries

ICES Journal of Marine Science

Oct, 2022

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 12 Rising DOI 10.1093/icesjms/fsac178

Authors 10.1093/icesjms/fsac178

Laurence Fauconnet Diana Catarino Diya Das Eva Giacomello José Manuel González‐Irusta Pedro Afonso

Telmo Morato

Abstract

Abstract Deep-water sharks are highly diverse, vulnerable, and understudied as a group, despite the increasing pressures on their populations. Twenty-five species of deep-water sharks have been recorded in the Azores, an oceanic archipelago in the mid-North Atlantic, that are regularly caught as bycatch in hook-and-line fisheries. Avoiding the bycatch of deep-water sharks presents multiple challenges due to their high catchability, difficulties in correctly identifying species, and the general lack of data on these species. This review summarizes the findings of recent studies from the region, providing an up-to-date science-based framework for mitigating bycatch effects of Azorean hook-and-line fisheries. Several depth-based, area-based, and gear-based measures have been studied that demonstrate the potential to either avoid or increase the survival of deep-water shark bycatch. However, these measures may have limited efficacy for some species (e.g. highly mobile species) and thus, limited widespread applicability. Convincing fishers to avoid deep-water shark bycatch is also a challenge given the antagonistic interactions with sharks damaging the catch and fishing gear, while simultaneously a market incentive for shark liver oil remains. It highlights the need to proactively engage fishers and incentivize the mitigation of bycatch of deep-water sharks in Azorean waters.

A cost‐effective video system for a rapid appraisal of deep‐sea benthic habitats: The Azor drift‐cam

Methods in Ecology and Evolution

Apr, 2021

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 37 DOI 10.1111/2041-210x.13617

Authors 10.1111/2041-210x.13617

Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió Jorge Fontes

Telmo Morato

Abstract

Abstract Deep‐sea exploration relies on cutting‐edge technology, which generally requires expensive instruments, highly specialized technicians and ship time. The increasing need to gather large‐scale data on the distribution and conservation status of deep‐sea benthic species and habitats could benefit from the availability of low‐cost imaging tools to facilitate the access to the deep sea world‐wide. Here we describe the Azor drift‐cam, a cost‐effective video platform designed to conduct rapid appraisals of deep‐sea benthic habitats. Built with off‐the‐shelf components, the Azor drift‐cam should be regarded as an effective, affordable, simple‐to‐assemble, easy‐to‐operate, resilient, operational and reliable tool to visually explore the deep sea to 1,000 m depth. Its performance was assessed during the MapGES_2019 cruise, where 135 successful dives between 100 and 800 m depth were carried out in 22 working days, providing over 100 hr of images for almost 80 km of seabed, mostly in areas that had never been explored before. The system does not aim to become a substitute for more sophisticated underwater video and photography platforms, such as ROVs, AUVs or manned submersibles. Rather, it aims to provide the means to perform quick assessments of deep‐sea benthic habitats in a simple and affordable manner. This drift‐cam system has the potential to make deep‐sea exploration more accessible, playing an important role in the Deep‐Ocean Observing Strategy and measuring some of the Essential Ocean Variables for deep‐sea monitoring and conservation strategies.

Predicting the distribution and abundance of abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in the deep sea of the Azores (North Atlantic)

The Science of The Total Environment

Aug, 2023

7 team members are authors

OA Citations 18 Rising DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166579

Authors 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166579

Emily M. Duncan Nina Vieira José Manuel González‐Irusta

Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió

Telmo Morato

Marina Carreiro‐Silva Joachim Jakobsen Kirsten Jakobsen

Filipe M. Porteiro Nina Schläpfer Laura Herrera

Manuela Ramos Yasmina Rodríguez João Pereira

Laurence Fauconnet

Luís Rodrigues Hugo Parra Christopher K. Pham

First assessment of circle hooks as bycatch mitigation measure for deep-water sharks on longline fisheries

Fisheries Research

Oct, 2023

2 team members are authors

OA Citations 3 DOI 10.1016/j.fishres.2023.106877

Authors 10.1016/j.fishres.2023.106877

Laurence Fauconnet

Telmo Morato Diya Das Diana Catarino Jorge Fontes Eva Giacomello Pedro Afonso

Abstract

The recognition that deep-water sharks are among the most vulnerable marine species to fisheries exploitation led to the implementation of fishing prohibition regulations in European waters. Reducing unwanted bycatch and mortality are key fisheries mitigation measure for the conservation of these species. Yet, few studies have investigated how to mitigate the common bycatch of these sharks on deep-water longline fisheries. Specifically, the potential of hook type as such a measure has never been investigated. Here, we conducted fishing experiments to test how circle hooks affect the catchability, the hooking position, and the overall condition of deep-water sharks, in comparison to the commonly used J-hooks in the Azores bottom longline fishery. We found that circle hooks did not significantly reduce deep hooking (throat or gut hooked), nor improve the overall condition of captured sharks, while the catchability of deep-water sharks on circle hooks was greater than on the J-hooks currently used in the local fishery. As such, circle hooks do not appear as a suitable measure to reduce deep-water shark bycatch and increase survival potential in deep-water longlining. Despite deep hooking being rare for the deep-water sharks caught with both hook types in the experiments, at-vessel mortality was still substantial (around 40%). Post-release survival remains mostly unquantified but preliminary results suggest it could also be high. This study highlights the urgent need for continued research addressing bycatch mitigation measures for deep-water sharks and identifying efficient strategies to reduce bycatch and increase survival.

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