The Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Seán Power, TD has launched a new website providing information on the nature of the seabed, physical habitats and water depths.

The information on www.infomar.ie has been gathered through INFOMAR (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland's Marine Resource), Ireland's national marine mapping programme.

Speaking on board the Celtic Explorer, one of the vessels involved in the programme, Minister Power said, "With over 220 million acres of our national territory lying beneath the sea, many of the potential benefits from this resource are as yet unrealised. The INFOMAR project is now discovering those resources and making information on them available online. This website will have benefits for a wide spectrum of activities from navigation, safety at sea, fisheries management and seabed resource management.

"INFOMAR along with its predecessor, the Irish National Seabed Survey, constitutes the largest civilian marine mapping programme worldwide and they have truly made Ireland a leader in this field of endeavour. There is a significant level of coordination required by both organisations, scientists, and the crews of the ships, boats and planes to bring this project to fruition and I heartily congratulate all involved," he said.

The INFOMAR programme has just concluded operations in the Donegal and Sligo Bays on board the Marine Institute vessel, the RV Celtic Voyager. In addition aerial surveys have been completed in recent weeks in parts of Galway Bay.

For more information, log onto www.infomar.ie.

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