JC060 cruise blog

On 9 May 2011, the RRS James Cook will set sail from Govan, Glasgow, on a 34-day expedition to study seabed habitats and sedimentary processes in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. The team, which combines scientists, technicians and crew from five different institutes, aims to:

• Investigate different benthic biotopes, including the physical environment and faunal communities
• Identify the extent of human impacts on those habitats, especially from deep-sea trawling activities
• Illustrate the effect of protection measures in the area.

The work will be focussed on Rockall Trough, Rockall Bank and Hatton Basin: areas that have a rich variety of seafloor habitats, but that are also notorious for harsh weather conditions that can make the work at sea a challenge.

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Want to know more about the background to this study? Have a look at our expedition, study areas  and equipment.