The digital version of the Photographic guide of the species of the Gorringe Bank, a publication about the marine species of the Gettysburg and Ormonde seamounts in the Gorringe Bank, has been released today. The SponGES project collaborated with this initiative through the contribution of its scientific manager and sponge specialist Joana Xavier (UiB).

This photographic guide, presented by CCMAR and made in partnership with OCEANA, resulted from 2 expeditions to the Gorringe Bank. Located at about 125 nautical miles SW off the Cape of Saint Vincent (Sagres) and rising from 5,000 to 25m deep, Gorringe Bank is one of the largest underwater seamounts in Portuguese waters. Containing ROV images of 279 species of fauna and flora, this guide documents the life of this unique ecosystem and aims to assist in identifying the species of other Atlantic and Mediterranean seamounts.

The Gorringe Bank is ready to become one of the major symbols of marine conservation in the European context. This work was supported by taxonomists from several European research institutions such as H2020 project SponGES and Museo del Mar (Ceuta – Spain) and was mainly funded by CCMAR, OCEANA and by the EEA Grants / DGPM through the BIOMETORE project. The guide is freely available here.