200 year old cockles!

Scientists from NUI Galway have discovered a marine habitat with organisms hundreds of years old in Irish waters.

Researchers located the new habitat in the Whittard Canyon, around 200km off the southwest coast.

It is rich in biodiversity, with an array of bivalves and deep water oysters, co-existing with fish, crabs and coral.

Researchers said it is rare to see so many, so close and so large at such depth.

Some of the organisms are thought to be over 200 years old.

Researchers believe they can survive so near the sea bed because food is being channelled there by strong currents caused by the shape of the canyon.

Further examinations of the area are planned in the coming months.

The findings have been published in PLOS One academic journal.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/1119/487553 ... -research/

Great find. I was listening to a piece about it last week on the radio. Very interesting.

Saw the item on TV last night. I just hope its well out of reach of the bottom-scraper fleet....

Cue BIM executives preparing a funding programme to upgrade boats to exploit the "exciting potential of this new resource"...

Cue BIM executives preparing a funding programme to upgrade boats to exploit the "exciting potential of this new resource"...

Stoppit Bradan, you're only giving them ideas!