Anglo-Irish accord for marine research
Closer cooperation between the UK and Ireland for marine research, development and innovation is to proceed under a Memorandum of Understanding signed last month.
Representatives of the Marine Institute in Galway and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton signed in the presence of the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney.
Under the agreement, strategic cooperation will cover all areas of mutual interest including hydrography, seafloor and habitat mapping of the Atlantic, development of fixed point observatories, sensor development and associated platforms, knowledge transfer and policy advice.
Welcoming the MoU, Minister Coveney said that it would make a significant contribution to the Irish government’s aims for economic development and recovery outlined in its consultation document, ‘Our Ocean Wealth – Towards an Integrated Marine Plan’, which in turn will contribute to the EU’s Strategy for the Atlantic (EUSA) action plan for 2014-2020.
The agreement marks a further stage in collaboration between the Marine Institute and the NOC, following their joint participation in association with National Geographic TV and others in the recent 2011 VenTURE Survey project, which led to discovery of a new hydro-thermal vent field on the mid-Atlantic ridge using the Institute’s multi-purpose research vessel, Celtic Explorer.
