An expedition, led by Dr Anthony Grehan, has discovered extensive deep water corals, standing up to 2m high, off the Irish Coast. Possible sites for investigation were identified from the high resolution bathymetry collected by the Irish National Seabed Survey, and then identified by deep-sea Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV).

Via Science Daily Headlines

The depth that the corals were recorded at is not recorded in the article, or the main page on the NUI dsite. The Porcupine Bank, close to where the corals were dicovered, is between 80 and 100 fathoms* deep (140-180m), however, so we will not be arranging a dive trip(!). As an aside, the Porcupine bank is named after the Naval research vessel HMS Porcupine, from which the Porcupine Natural History Society also derives its name – small world…

Porcupine Marine Natural History Society

*From Haddock on the Porcupine Bank, September 1944 by C.F. Hickling MA