The Department of Transport has been advised of a geophysical marine route survey operation taking place in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean off Galway and Mayo from next week.
The survey activity will take place within the Irish TS, Irish CZ and Irish EEZ and is scheduled to begin today, Monday 7 June for completion some five months later in early November, weather permitting.
The survey will be conducted by the RV Ridley Thomas (callsign V7JK2) which will undertake 24/7 cable route operations.
Survey operations will include the stern deployment of a sonar towfish tethered with steel cable at varying water depths, to collect geophysical/bathymetric mapping data for a proposed undersea telecommunications cable.
The vessel will be monitoring VHF channels 16 and 13, and will display appropriate lights and signals. All vessels operating within the survey areas are requested to keep their distance, maintaining a safety zone around the survey vessel and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash.
Full details of the survey, including relevant coordinates, are included in Marine Notice No 35 of 2021 which can be downloaded below.
