Aditya and Lindsey recently returned from a successful 3.5 weeks on the Discovery for the SeaSTORE project, looking at the impacts of bottom trawling on seabed carbon storage in the Irish Sea.
SeaSTORE is a 3-year (2025-2028) project led by the University of Bangor examining how bottom trawling impacts on the release of carbon from the seabed and how this may outgas from the surface ocean in areas of intensive fishing activity. Two research cruises (Februay & July 2026) will make measurements of sediment resuspension, nutrient release, sedimentary (organic and inorganic) carbon release and ecosystem impacts.
Alongside scientists from Imperial College London and Plymouth Marine Lab, Aditya and Lindsey carried out the pelagic sampling onboard, primarily investigating the biogeochemistry of seawater and resuspended sediment before, during and after trawling. Data produced from Aditya, Lindsey, and the rest of the pelagic team’s efforts will contribute to answering important questions on the impacts of trawling on plankton and primary production, as well as benthic microbial composition. Now to prepare for the second SeaSTORE cruise in July!
Pictured L-R: Standing – Aditya, Lindsey (HWU), Ian Brown (PML), Sitting – Jillian Lang, Cordelia Roberts, Gensis Bede (Imperial)
OceanCANDY has also recently created an Instagram page where lots of exclusive DY206 cruise updates were posted, so head over to check them out, and give us a follow!
