The new Irish Deep Seabed Geomorphological Map — now available in Ireland’s Marine Atlas — significantly expands the high-resolution mapping of the features of Ireland’s seabed, marking a major milestone in marine science.
Geomorphology examines the physical features of the Earth’s surface and seeks to understand why landscapes look the way they do, how they have evolved over time and how they may change in the future.
Until now, detailed morphological maps showing the complex characteristics of the deep-water seabed existed only in fragmentary, regional studies with no cohesive public database available.
IDSGM26 brings together results from all previously published deep-water mapping efforts alongside newly interpreted features, applying consistent, internationally standardised classification to produce a single coherent national geomorphology data resource.
“It was amazing to do this analysis and see the big picture for the first time having spent years exploring all the tiny details,” said Prof Andy Wheeler, head of the Marine Geoscience Research Group at University College Cork, which released the map along with the Marine Institute.
“This map gives us, for the first time, a comprehensive picture of Ireland's seabed geomorphology, from the coastline to the deepest parts of Ireland’s offshore territory. It is a major scientific achievement and a valuable resource for Ireland’s sustainable development,” added Dr Fabio Sacchetti, team lead of advanced mapping services with the Marine Institute.
Geomorphological maps of this type are essential reference tools for policymakers, marine industries and scientists. IDSGM26 will contribute to the evidence base required for risk management, marine spatial planning, consenting processes and regulatory compliance monitoring. It will also support a wide range of national priorities, including:
- Offshore wind energy and infrastructure development
- Designation and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
- Protection of sensitive deep-sea habitats, including cold-water coral reefs
- Routing of submarine cables and pipelines
- Monitoring and reporting under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), European marine environmental legislation
All seabed features have been classified using internationally recognised standards, allowing Ireland's mapping to be directly compared with similar datasets worldwide.
Ireland’s Marine Atlas now features the Irish Deep Seabed Geomorphological Map
This new release is derived from analysis of data acquired during over 25 years of national Government-supported seabed mapping, through the Irish National Seabed Survey and INFOMAR programmes.
The map builds on the Irish Shelf Seabed Geomorphological Map (ISSGM), released in 2024, which mapped Ireland’s continental shelf to depths of 200 metres. The new release extends that work into deeper waters, from 200m down to approximately 5,000m, covering submarine canyons, underwater mountains, glacially sculpted troughs, volcanic seamount features, continental slopes and the abyssal plain.
With knowledge built over many years of deep-sea surveys, often using the Marine Institute’s Holland 1 remotely operated vehicle, the Marine Geoscience Research Group in UCC’s School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences was well placed to develop the map, drawing on their extensive, first-hand understanding of Ireland’s deep-water territories.
With the publication of the IDSGM26, Ireland now has a continuous, high-resolution record of its seabed landscape stretching from the intertidal zone to the deepest parts of Ireland’s offshore territory.
This achievement helps to retain Ireland’s position at the forefront of international seabed mapping and provides an enduring scientific resource that will support research, conservation and sustainable ocean management for decades to come.
The IDSGM26 data is freely accessible and integrated into the Irish Marine Atlas under the Geomorphology theme. The dataset is available for download in Shapefile format and via Web Map Service (WMS). Data is provided under a Creative Commons licence, enabling open use by researchers, industry, policymakers and the public.
