Cruise Report - BLUE AZORES PROGRAM EXPEDITION 2018 ON BOARD THE NRP GAGO COUTINHO

Objectives: to conduct an expedition to some unexplored areas of the deep Azores using the Portuguese ROV “Luso” and the vessel “NRP Almirante Gago Coutinho”. The sampling strategy that was designed to identify Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems and report the deep-sea benthic biodiversity using the ROV Luso also aimed to (i) map benthic communities inhabiting unexplored seamounts in the Central (Gigante complex) and Western (Cachalote complex) part of the Azores Region, (ii) identify new areas that fit the FAO vulnerable marine ecosystems definition; and (iii) determine distribution patterns of deep-sea benthic biodiversity in the Azores. The results of this cruise will also contribute to identify the environmental drivers that determine the spatial distribution of deep-sea benthic biodiversity in the Azores region, evaluating at the same time the role played by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge as a barrier between the western and the eastern parts. It will also provide valuable information in the context of Good Environmental Status (GES), Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and provide new insights on how to sustainably manage deep-sea ecosystems.