Canyons are biodiversity hotspots harbouring many vulnerable species such as deep-sea corals, which can be thousands of years old. These vulnerable habitats are experiencing the effects of human-induced impacts such as from destructive fishing practices, as well as climate change.

The University of Gibraltar is proud to host INCISE 2021 conference bringing together deep sea scientists across the world. The Bay of Gibraltar has a submarine canyon system and is as deep as the top of the Rock is as high and is yet unstudied. Through this network we will collaborate with scientists to find out more about important deep water habitats such as that found on our own doorstep.