RRS Charles Darwin Cruise 123C3-4, 19 Jul - 15 Sep 2000. Atlantic Margin Environmental Surveys and North Sea Environmental Surveys

This cruise formed part of the continuing Atlantic Margin Environmental Survey (AMES). The objectives of the cruise were: 1) to continue the AMES process in the deep waters to the north and west of Scotland on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); 2) to carry out a seabed sampling programme in the Fladen Ground area of the North Sea on behalf of the DTI; and 3) to conduct commercially funded seabed surveys in areas adjacent to those addressed in objectives 1 and 2. The cruise encompassed a number of survey areas: Ymir Ridge, Wyville Thomson Ridge (including Darwin Mounds area), Faroe Bank Channel, Faroe-Shetland Channel (axial transect), West Shetland Slope (bathymetric transect), West Shetland Slope (contourite body), Enterprise survey (northwest of Shetland), Texaco survey (deep Faroe-Shetland Channel), North of Shetland slope (Tranches 65-67), Statoil / BP survey (North of Shetland slope), Marathon survey (Brae oil field, central North Sea), and the Fladen Ground (central North Sea). In each of these areas seabed samples were obtained (Day grab, box core, Megacore, gravity corer) to study various environmental parameters (hydrocarbons, heavy metals, particle size) and macrobenthos communities. In the deep-water survey areas photographic and video observations (SOC WASP system) of the seabed and its fauna were also undertaken.