Collected reports of commercial deep-water surveys carried out north and west of Shetland during RRS Charles Darwin cruise 123C3-4

RRS Charles Darwin cruise 123C3-4 formed part of the Atlantic Margin Environmental Survey(AMES) and also carried out commercially funded deep-water seabed surveys. This contribution detailsthose activities and comprises four sections:Part A. Report of seagoing operations and seabed observations undertaken in Tranche 4 (West ofShetland) on behalf of Enterprise. This report addresses a survey of the deep (1030-1275m) Faroe-Shetland Channel (61°36´N 001°55´W) encompassing a range of habitats (open slope; lineated slope,contourite band; basin floor). These habitats are readily distinguished in terms of their megabenthiccommunities; example photographs of the seafloor and its associated fauna are provided.Part B. Report of seagoing operations and seabed observations undertaken in Tranches 65-67 (Northof Shetland) on behalf of Statoil and BP. This report addresses a survey of the deep (900-1000m) slopeNorth of Shetland (62°20´N 000°10´E) in a region of silty sand contourite deposit. The megabenthiccommunities are dominated by cerianthid anemones and stalked sponges and also notable for theoccurrence of ‘giant’ seapens (Umbellula sp.). An intriguing observation is made of two occurrences (atseparate sites some 7km apart) of fabric bags on the seafloor that appear to have attracted (scavenging)gastropods and prompted the deposition of numerous egg masses. Example photographs of the seafloorand its associated fauna are provided.Part C. Report of seabed observations made in the vicinity of Texaco site TX1: observation of a“tubeworm” patch. This report addresses a survey of the deep (1550m) Faroe-Shetland Channel floor(61°55´N 003°00´W). The survey is notable for recording what appeared to be small (c. 20m across)discrete patch of what appeared to be tubeworms (Siboglinidae). Example photographs of the seafloorand its associated fauna are provided.Part D. Assessment of Texaco site TX1 environmental data. This report addresses a survey of the deep(1550m) Faroe-Shetland Channel floor (61°55´N 003°00´W) and provides an analysis of physicochemical(hydrocarbons, heavy metals, sediments) and biological parameters (macrobenthos) at thesurvey site compared with 35 other sites in the deep Faroe-Shetland Channel obtained during theAtlantic Frontier Environmental Network surveys of 1996 and 1998.Should you wish to consult or cite this report or any of its constituent parts please contact the author directly(Brian Bett, bjb@noc.soton.ac.uk, +44 (0)23 80596355)