MERCES (Marine Ecosystem Restoration in European Seas)
In July 2019, a scientific expedition was carried out at Condor Bank, in collaboration with researchers from IMAR/DOP (University of the Azores), within the scope of the European MERCES project (http://www.merces-project.eu/).
During several dives with the LULA1000 submersible, coral restoration panels which previously had been deposited at about 200 meters of depth by IMAR researchers to study the restoration of coldwater corals, were recovered and brought onboard the vessel ADA REBIKOFF.
11 panels – 8 coral restoration panels and 3 recruitment panels – were collected during the mission and transferred to chilled water tanks on board the ADA REBIKOFF.