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The Digital Terrain Model was developed based on all available bathymetric data, already processed and validated. The SRTM30_PLUS (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) data were used just to complement the bathymetric grid in distal regions of the Brazilian Continental Margin. In order to prepare the bathymetric grid from a database composed by all qualified bathymetric information, it was adopted the Randgrid.GX/Geosoft - Oasis Montaj®, version 9.5.2, routine. The used mathematical model creates a surface of minimum curvature, using a similar method to that proposed by Swain (1976) and Briggs (1974), with the interpolation, in each knot of the grid, of X and Y values in metric coordinates and Z values (variable). The calculated surface adjusts itself to the irregularly sampled original values. The grid cell-size was 1,000 m, defined according the spatial distribution of the available data. The Brazilian DTM Oasis grid file was converted to surfer files, Versions V6 and V7. The ASCII file and a Geotif image were also provided. The reference system and geodetic datum adopted for the bathymetric data was the WGS84. The projection adopted was the World Mercator (false N=0, false E=0, latitude of the natural origin=0 longitude of the natural origin=0, and the scaling factor of the natural origin=1).

Cruise JR 161 was conducted within the Scotia Sea. Three transects were run as follows: 1. From Stanley in the Falkland Islands to Signy, South Orkneys. 2. From Signy towards the Polar Front North of the Island of South Georgia. 3. From the Polar Front back to Stanley. Nine Stations were sampled in total; we remained on 3 stations for 4 days each and 6 stations for 2 days each. At each station we took samples and measurements to characterise the Oceanography, nutrients, phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish and higher predators. The sampling was undertaken as part of the DISCOVERY 2010 BAS programme, with its remit to investigate and describe the response of the Southern Ocean ecosystem to climate variability, climate change and commercial exploitation.

The overall aim of the Atlantic Meridional Transect programme is: to quantify key biogeochemical and ecosystem processes and their inherent variability over extended time and spatial scales in the Atlantic Ocean. This is achieved by executing an annually repeated meridional transect through contrasting oceanic provinces, ranging from oligotrophic deserts, to highly productive shelf seas. The specific objectives of AMT are: - To quantify the nature and causes of ecological and biogeochemical variability in planktonic ecosystems; - To quantify the effects of this variability on nutrient cycling, on biogenic export and on air-sea exchange of climate active gases; - To construct multi-decadal, multidisciplinary ocean time-series which are integrated within a wider "Pole-to-pole" observatory concept; - To provide essential sea-truth validation for current and next generation satellite missions; - To provide essential data for global ecosystem model development and validation; - To provide a valuable, highly sought after and unique training arena for the next generation of UK and International oceanographers.

The gyre index constructed here from satellite altimetry is related to core aspects of the North Atlantic subpolar gyre, meridional overturning circulation, hydrographic properties in the Atlantic inflows toward the Arctic, and in marine ecosystems in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. The data series spans the period January 1993 to September 2018. Data description: Monthly gyre index from January 1993 until September 2018. The data is provided in one comma separated value (csv) file with the following entries on each row: year, month, index value. The index is normalized, i.e. it has a zero mean and unit standard deviation. Positive (negative) gyre index reflects stronger (weaker) than average surface circulation of the North Atlantic subpolar gyre.

While there has been an increase in the understanding of how climate and surface processes affect deep-sea communities, the ability to understand these links further is thought to be limited by sampling error from undetected habitat heterogeneity (i.e. irregular or uneven habitat distributions). Features like hills, valleys, depressions, small rock outcrops, and biogenic mounds add to habitat complexity, but links between such features and the animals that live among them are very poorly resolved in abyssal plain habitats using current methods. Our efforts aimed to address the following objectives: 1. We serviced the PAP1, PAP3 and Bathysnap long-term observatory systems. These systems provide data that is critical in understanding connections between climate, surface ocean processes, and change in deep-sea habitats. 2. We ecologically surveyed the region around the PAP - Sustained Observatory (SO) to understand how the topography of the seabed alters the abundance and distribution of fauna in abyssal habitats. This surveying employed the use of acoustic mapping, megacoring, box coring, a baited camera lander, towed cameras, an amphipod trap, and trawling. 3. We also conducted a number of specialised research studies including research on low bandwidth observatory telecommunications, phytoplankton community structure, bioluminescence, the impacts of crude oil on benthic sediment communities, and the effects of pressure on photoreceptors, and the potential impacts of trawling on slope habitats in the Porcupine Seabight. These studies took advantage of the equipment above with the addition of conductivity temperature and depth (CTD) rosette casts and laboratory facilities. The cruise achieved its main objectives including servicing of mooring infrastructure, ecological mapping of the PAP area, and a survey of potentially impacted sponge communities on the N PSB slope. We were favoured by good weather and what proved to be mainly minor issues with winches and other equipment. We surveyed three abyssal plain areas and four hill areas within the greater vicinity of the PAP-SO. At all of these seven sites we conducted a WASP transect and at least 5 megacore deployments. At all seven survey sites except PAP Cent. we conducted a baited camera and ampipod trap deployment as the deposition of ballast at PAP Cent. was to be avoided. At the PAP Cent. site we also conducted series of five box core deployments. Details on specific activities, their objectives and initial results are provided below including ancillary activities conducted at Goban Spur and the Porcupine Seabight.

Other fish species caught during the tuna fishing operation that were commercialized. These species were caught along with the target species (tuna) by using pole and line. POPA was launched in 1998 with the main goal of certifying the tuna caught around the Azores as a "dolphin safe product". This label is attributed by the non-governmental organization Earth Island Institute to catches made without mortality of cetaceans. POPA has built an extensive database with information collected by the observers on board the tuna fishing vessels. This database includes information on tuna fisheries (e.g., location of fishing events, catches, and fishing effort), weather conditions (e.g., sea surface temperature, wind and visibility), live bait fisheries (e.g., location of fishing events, catches, gears used), cetaceans (e.g., occurrences, interaction with fishing events and association with other species), birds and sea turtles (e.g., occurrences). POPA is also responsible for "Friend of the Sea" tuna fishery certification. In the late 1990’s, it became clear that the tuna industry would be seriously penalized with the absence of a "dolphin safe" certification which instigated new measures from the government and the fisheries sector. In order to achieve this certification, the Azores Fisheries Observer Programme (POPA) was funded in 1998, ensuring the absence of dolphin mortality or injury in tuna fishery. Since then, fishery and fishing products are certified by the Earth Island Institute, through the results presented by POPA. Besides that, the tuna fishery is also certified as "Friend of the Sea" which means that it is extremely selective, doesn’t harm the surrounding environment and is quite sustainable. It became the first tuna fishery in the world achieving that certification. The Programme results from an agreement among Regional Administration, Earth Island Institute, the Tuna Canning Industry Association (Pão do Mar), the Fishing Boat Owners Association (APASA) and IMAR - Instituto do Mar - through the University of The Azores Center (IMAR-DOP/Uaç), which carries out the programme. Until 2003, the Programme was supported by regional funds. Between 2003 and 2005 it became co-financed by the European Commission through the INTERREG IIIb Programme/ ORPAM project. Since then it has been exclusively supported by the regional government through the Regional Secretary of Fisheries.

This service is the BGS contribution to the OneGeology project, providing UK onshore geological data at 1:625 000 scale and UK continental shelf seabed sediment data at 1:1 million scale. This map data is collected as part of an ongoing BGS project: Digital Geological Map of Great Britain (DiGMapGB). MapServer software is used to provide these OGC WMS and WFS services.

Demersal surveys performed with bottom longline during research cruises around Azorean islands and several seamounts. Surveys conducted annually (few exceptions) from 1996 to 2013. Sampling is performed using a "stone-buoy longline" similar to the one used in the commercial demersal fishery in the Azores. The sampling is stratified and random based on depth and geographic areas from 25 meters to 1200 meters mostly, but few sets down to 2000 meters. In some sets a different longline design was used (see Menezes et al. 2009). Soak time was usually 2 to 3 hours, but deeper sets (below 1000 meters) have longer soaks times. Chopped and salted sardines were used as bait.

These data consist of raw echosounder observations collected during ACE (Leg1-Leg3) using an EK80 WBT operating at 12.5 kHz. The instrument was calibrated at South Georgia during the expedition (Leg 3) and corrections were applied prior to calculation of the volume backscattering strength (Sv). The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was analysed and was deemed very poor at depths greater than 1000 m. Therefore, only data collected between the transducer depth (8.4 m) and 1000 m were archived. Sv values within this depth range that had poor SNRs (<2) were deemed to be bad data and set to a value of NA. Observations were made using a pulse duration of 16.384 ms (c. 24 m) and are therefore not suitable for fine-scale studies (e.g. analysis of krill swarms). They are more suited to studies relating to large-scale biological features such as deep scattering layers.