Azores 2023 (August 24th - September 8th)

The Azores is a remote archipelago in the North Atlantic located 1600km (1,000miles) from the coast of Portugal. The marine environment surrounding the islands is ecologically rich owing to the unique oceanographic influences in the region. The seamounts in the archipelago create an upwelling effect, distributing nutrients from the deep ocean to the surface. This phenomenon attracts marine megafauna and diverse fish aggregations while the structural complexity of the seamounts supports a wide range of unique deep-sea coral and sponge communities. On this mission, OceanX is collaborating with researchers from the University of the Azores to explore the Dom Joao de Castro seamount, Princesa Alice Bank, and the slopes of Faial island to explore deep-sea coral and sponge gardens that meet the criteria for protection as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems.

NaN3

Ancient Coral Discovery

Dense colonies of Leiopathes expansa, a species of black coral, were discovered on basalt outcrops at a depth of 800 meters. These colonies, estimated to be around 1,000 years old, appeared visually healthy and supported a diverse marine community. Additionally, a reef comprised of lace corals, including Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora occulata, was found approximately 850 meters offshore of Faial island. While portions of the reef were no longer living, the compact hard substrate left behind provided habitat for various associated species. The research team also identified one of the largest and densest coral gardens of the primnoid Callogorgia verticillata ever recorded in the Azores. Fishing pressure near some of the research stations were evident in damages to coral colonies at depth. However, the majority of observed colonies were visually healthy and of substantial sizes, indicating that regulated fishing using nondestructive methods can offer a sustainable solution for both livelihoods and deep-sea conservation.

Read More

Mapping Unknown Features

OceanX mapped 3,840km2 of seafloor, of this total 630km2 is completely new, never before mapped data and will be recorded and stores in the official Portuguese databases. During one of the transits between site locations, multibeam revealed an unrecorded canyon 15km long and 340m wide with cliffs estimated at 100m high. Canyons and gorges are scattered throughout the archipelago however, they remain unexplored and are believed to harbor unique ecosystems.

Read More