Marine Institute
SeaRover Dive Video

D681 Transect 32 Predominantly rippled sand and muddy slope with scattered patches of solitary scleractinians and sparse burrowing epifauna. An escarpment recorded. P1. Water depth: 604-570m. Features: Small mound

Highlights: Rope Fishing net Fishing net Fishing net fishing net - ghost fishing Helicolenus dactylopterus Fishing net Anglerfish - Lophius piscatorius, caught on line?

Initially the sediment is mixed sediment of rock and pebble. The dive progressed over the flank of a deep gorge with areas of rippled sediment present on the slope. Cup corals are abundant initially however conspicuous fauna (hermit crabs and cerianthid anemones) are occasional. Krill and fish including Beryx decadactylus and chimerids are common. Snagged fishing line and multiple fishing nets (10-15) are observed weighted down with concrete blocks.

START VIDEO [00:00:00]/22:37. The dive is predominantly rippled sand and muddy slope with scattered patches of solitary scleractinians and sparse burrowing epifauna . [1] [00:08:00] The tilt of the camera is slightly upwards, which makes the resolution poor and inefficient. [00:19:00] Here ROV goes over an escarpment where the seafloor drops down a few meters. [00:20:00] Now a rope/pipeline is present hovering on the seafloor (origin unidentified). The ROV goes over the rope on the right and continues for a few meters showing water column. [00:21:00] Here more ropes are present. [00:21:00]-[00:27:00] the ROV shows only water column. [00:27:30] back on the seafloor. Here muddy and pebble fields with scattered epifauna. END VIDEO [01:42:00]/00:15.

Progression Start Duration Code Name
1[00:00:00]00:19:07M.AtMB.Sa.SolSclSolitary scleractinian field on Atlantic mid bathyal sand
2[00:19:08]00:08:10M.AtMB.SaAtlantic mid bathyal sand
3[00:27:19]00:16:45M.AtMB.SaAtlantic mid bathyal sand
4[00:44:05]00:58:27M.AtMB.SaAtlantic mid bathyal sand

Cnidaria
Cerianthidae sp. 1 : 2 : R
Pachycerianthus multiplicatus : 458 : F
Actiniidae sp. (sand Bolocera) : 41 : R
Phelliactis sp. 1 : 255 : R
Flabellum sp. : 1056 : R
Arthropoda
Paguridae sp. : 205 : O
Caridea (indet.) : 1077 : R

Mollusca
Hypsogastropoda sp. : 621 : O
Echinodermata
Zoroaster fulgens : 988 : R
cf. Hymenaster (yellow) : 1174 : R
Cidaris cidaris : 211 : R
Chordata
Chimaera monstrosa : 265 : R
Beryx decadactylus : 1025 : R

Lepidion eques : 249 : R
Lophius piscatorius : 273 : R
Trichiuridae sp. : 1303 : R
Helicolenus dactylopterus : 227 : R

Number of species = 17

© Marine Institute, MERC Consultants, Bernard Picton 2022