With ships' time on the national sea-bed survey costing an average of $25,000 a day, the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) is keen to make the most of the floating research platforms. The Marine Institute is co-ordinating a series of complementary projects to make the maximum use of the two research vessels.
Met Eireann has asked survey crews to return daily weather reports, while Bord Iascaigh Mhara has also been taking specially formatted daily reports from the ships.
Crews have reported sightings of cetaceans to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, and a strategic research programme has also been carried out by the GSI and Marine Institute on its research vessel, Celtic Voyager.
Speaking at the GSI seminar, Ms Evelyn Cusack of Met Eireann emphasised the lack of data reported back to the service from the west coast. An automatic weather station has already recently been fitted on the Celtic Voyager. O Cadhla, two of the scientists involved in the UCC Coastal Resources Centre's seabird and cetacean survey chartered a Kerry fishing vessel, the Emerald Dawn, for three weeks. Some 92 per cent of a 62,000 sq km sea area was covered, with study areas relating to blocks licensed for mineral exploration.