Plymouth Marine Laboratory uses AUVs to study trawling's carbon impact

Researchers at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) are utilizing autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), specifically ecoSUBs, to study how seabed trawling affects carbon stored in ocean sediments. This research is part of the C-FLOOR project, which aims to examine the impact of trawling gear on carbon cycling and greenhouse gas emissions within shelf seas.

Fieldwork is being conducted at the Western Channel Observatory in the Western English Channel. The study employs a combination of traditional methods and advanced technology, including the Smart Sound Plymouth infrastructure, which features an integrated communications network and an advanced data buoy. The AUVs collect data before, during, and after a simulated trawling rig is towed across the seabed to measure sediment disturbance.

Shelf seas are biologically diverse regions that contain more than 80% of large marine protected areas, yet they are heavily utilized for activities such as seabed trawling. Because different types of gear interact with the seabed in various ways—ranging from surface skimming to digging into the sediment—the project seeks to clarify the uncertain global estimates of carbon released by bottom trawling.