The marine ecosystem of the island of El Hierro, one of the richest and most sensitive of the spanish region, is experiencing the consequences of the first recorded underwater eruption in the Canary Islands in the last 500 years of volcanological history. The principal objective of VULCANO is to characterize the marine ecosystem from a physical-chemical-biological approach in order to quantify the environmental impact caused by the eruptive process. This main aim splits into five particular objectives: 1) to characterize the ecosystem before and after the eruption process, 2) to study the spatio-temporal variability of physical, chemical and biogeochemical properties, 3) to evaluate the impact of the eruptive process on lower trophic levels and 4) Characterization of the physiographic, morphological and structural changes on the seafloor associeted to submarine eruptions and 5) the data integration in existing databases, SIG implementation and dissemination by viewers. These objectives will be accomplished through the development of a multidisciplinary working plan which includes the realization of 3 oceanographic cruises and satellite observations.

Study of the edge of Spanish Platform on the Canary Islands Basin.

The objectives of the DETSUFA cruise (BIO Hespérides 04/03–17/03/2013) are (1) to evaluate the footprint in the seafloor of a series of earthquake-generated subaerial landslides that took place in Fiordo de Aysén, Chile, in 2007, which entered the seawater generating a number of destructive tsunamis which killed 10 and produced significant damage in the local infrastructure, (2) to reconstruct the morphology and dynamics of these landslides in order to obtain input data for tsunami modelling, and (3) to determine the occurrence of similar episodes in the past that might have generated other tsunamis, in order to establish a possible recurrence period of such events. The cruise fits within the global scientific interest stirred up by tsunamis in general, being the Fiordo de Aysén a highly relevant analogue for the understanding of this kind of events occurring in semi-enclosed basins such as fjords, lakes or water dams, which often harbour large human population and infrastructures.

Analyze and evaluate the environmental impact on the coastal area of Gibraltar caused by the dumping of concrete and rock blocks into the sea.

This survey covers the international NAFO Regulation Area in divisions 3NO. It started in 1995 with the only purpose of collecting data for stock assessment of target species down to 700 m, but its aims and research area have widened with time. Currrently, the survey covers a depth range of 50-1500 m and its goals are the following: 1. Regarding the target species (Hippoglossoides platessoides, Limanda ferruginea, Reinhardtius hippoglossoides, Glyptocephalus cynoglossus, Gadus morhua, Sebastes sp, Macrourus berglax, Centroscyllium fabricii and Raja radiata) and other species of commercial interest (Urophycis tenuis; Pandalus borealis) : a. to obtain biomass and abundance indexes, b. to estimate recruitment, c. to investigate the population structure To achieve this, biological information (length, weight, sex, maturity, stomach contents) is obtained from about 30 species, as well as otoliths and gonads from cod, Greenland halibut and roughead grenadier. The remaining fish and commercial invertebrate species are length measured and weighted. 2. Collection of oceanographic data (temperature, salinity, oxygen and fluorescence); 3. Invertebrate data collection: all species are identified to the maximum possible level on board, or otherwise photographed and preserved for later examination at the lab, counted and weighted, with the aim of investigating the benthic invertebrate faunal assemblage and presence of vulnerable species

The EU funded MIDAS RTD project (7th FP, gran agreement 603418) overarching objective is to determine the impact of deep-sea mining on deep marine ecosystems. To investigate the behaviour and the effects of heavy metal rich resuspended sediment plumes over benthic organisms and ecosystems, the University of Barcelona coordinates a plume generation and monitoring experiment in the bay of Portman, SE of Spain, where millions of tones of metal rich mine tails from onshore mines were dumped from 1957 to 1990. Prior to the seafloor disturbance experiment to generate the plumes, a careful mapping of the study area, and in particular of the area covered by the mine tails deposit was carried out. Two vessels are used for the disturbance experiment. The first vessel generates the plumes by bottom trawling, while the second one monitors the plume evolution through time with a variety of sensors, including acoustics. Moorings with sediment traps, current-meters, mussel ropes and baited traps are deployed in and around the seafloor area disturbed by the trawler.

1. To test the sledge TST- HORUS and the methodology based on the identification and quantification of Nephrops burrows in order to estimate the Nephrops abundance using underwater images. 2. To obtain estimates of Nephrops borrows density 3. To obtain estimates of macro benthos density 4. To collect ancillary information on the occurence of trawl marks on sea bed 5. To collect sediment samples 6. To collect biological data on infauna 7. To obtain oceanographic data using a sledge mounted CTD

The goals of this survey are framed within the educational activity of the Faculty of Marine Sciences ULPGC to give the possibility of a complete oceanographic study (Physical , Chemical , Biological and Geological Survey ) in the south of Gran Canaria students of Degree, Bachelor and Master , the convergence zone between the area and the trail of the island and the presence of permanent rotation south of it. Thus this survey will contribute to a comprehensive training for students in oceanographic study of an oceanic region may  Determine the structure of water bodies, the effects of convergence and divergence to the passage of the Canary Current across the channels between islands, mass transport , and nutrients.  Determine the distribution of chemical species , including oxygen and carbon dioxide system and quantify the transport of CO2 in the atmosphere-ocean study area , the effect of micro and mesoscale phenomena in their distribution.  To characterize the effect of the wake , turns and other mesoscale structures in the distribution of species of phytoplankton and zooplankton.

The goals of this campaign are framed within the objectives of the overall project 'Radial Profunda de Canarias', being the experimental cruise of the proposal. Thus, this cruise will help to: • Determine the structure of the current when it reaches the Canary Islands, mass transport, heat and nutrients and interannual variability. • Characterize the different modes of variability of heat and mass transport in easternorth atlantic subtropical gyre. • To determine the correlation between heat and mass transport with the NAO atmospheric and oceanic index. • Characterize the annual cycle in the physical conditions of the surface layers and mixture to where the seasonal cycle is significant, relating it to the meteorological forcings. • Characterization of changes in water masses, mainly in the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), in Antarctic Atlantic Intermediate Water (AAIW) in Mediterranean Water (MW) and bottom waters of the Canary Basin, in based on temperature, salinity, nutrients and oxygen. • Characterize the zooplankton in the waters of the Canary archipelago, including biomass, abundances and taxonomy, as well as its metabolism: respiration, growth, excretion, ingestion, etc.

The EU funded MIDAS RTD project (7th FP, gran agreement 603418) overarching objective is to determine the impact of deep-sea mining on deep marine ecosystems. The eruption of the submarine volcano of El Hierro in 2011_12 and its impacts on the ecosystem are, in some aspects, a possible analog of deep ocean mining. The was focused on the research of the effects on the seabed and benthic and pelagic ecosystems of nepheloid layers and acidic waters resulting from the eruption. Inspection tasks has been carried out and, when possible, sampling of rocks, sediments and water by the ROV "Liropus 2000. Sampling of surface sediments through multicore, box-corer and Van Veen grab, and profiling and sampling of the water column, especially near the bottom, using CTD with rosette. The areas studied are the slope where the eruption and sectors more or less close with varying degrees of involvement took place, including sectors not affected in both flanks of El Hierro. Work out bathymetric mapping and seismic profiling also are been made.