Today, there are approximately 90 seas and 4 bays that are comparable in size to them. The largest number of seas is located in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean - 32.
Pilot of the Celtic Sea
This sea is marginal, located off the southern coast of Ireland. The surface area of the Celtic Sea is 190,000 m2. The maximum depth is recorded at around 200 m. A photo of the Celtic Sea is presented below.
Territorial location
Geographically located in the north of the Atlantic Ocean. The coast of three countries at once is washed by the Celtic Sea. These are France, Great Britain and Ireland. The borders run along the English Channel, Bristol Bay, St. George's Strait. The southern and western margins of the water area are led along the line of the Celtic shelf.
Historical facts
The Celtic heritage of the borderlands gives the sea its name, first proposed by E. W. L. Holt at a 1921 meeting in Dublinfishing experts from England, Ireland, Scotland and France. The northern part was previously considered part of the St. George's Canal, while the southern part was considered an unnamed part on the "approach" to Great Britain. The need for a common name was felt because of the common subject matter in marine biology, geology and hydrology. The name given to the sea was adopted in France before it was common in English-speaking countries. The name, still in use today, was adopted by marine biologists and oceanographers, and then by oil and sea exploration companies was first listed as "Celtic" in a 1963 British atlas.
Interesting facts about the Celtic Sea
It is noteworthy that:
- This body of water is relatively small. The area of the Celtic Sea is 190,000 m2.
- The sea was formed not so long ago, approximately 10 thousand years ago.
- The name was given in honor of the ancient tribes of the Celts who inhabited the coastal zone.
- Many years ago, the sea on world maps was signed as St. George's Strait.
- The Celtic Sea once had an abundance of marine mammals.
- Despite the small size of the reservoir, there are four species of cetaceans, including porpoise, common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin and small whale.
- The name of the Celtic Sea was recognized and accepted in France before it became common in any English-speaking country bordering its waters.
Seabed
The seabed under the Celtic Sea is part of the continentalshelf of Europe. The northeastern part has a depth of about 100 m, increasing towards the channel of St. George. The maximum depth is fixed at +200 m. In the opposite direction, sandy ridges are separated by troughs from 50 m deeper. They were formed by the tides when the sea level was lower.
Climatic conditions
Moderate type of climate is inherent in the region of this sea. In winter, the average air temperature rarely exceeds +8 degrees, in summer +16 degrees.
The role of the sea in industry
The Celtic Sea plays a significant role in the industry for some coastal regions.
- A significant plus is the strong wind that blows constantly, which drives the turbines of wind generators.
- There are minerals on the shelf.
- Industrial fishing is developed in the sea.
- The seaside is popular with tourists. Travelers are attracted by Irish nature, the beauty of Wales, the Brittany Peninsula.
- Catch plays a big role for the industrial component of nearby settlements: cod, horse mackerel, hake, squid and blue whiting.
- The sea has a rich fishery, with a total annual catch of 1.8 million tons as of 2007.
- There are few major ports in the area, Cork and Waterford are among the most famous.
What is mined in the sea?
Oil and gas production in the Celtic Sea had limited commercialsuccess. The Kinsale Head gas field supplied most of the resource to the Republic of Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s.
S alt mining
Celtic sea s alt is harvested from the waters from the coast of Britain to France. This mineral is produced from sea water using the Celtic method of production, where wooden rakes are used instead of metal ones. The s alt is left to dry naturally using the heat of the sun. She is not affected by any negative substances.
Celtic Sea S alt is an unrefined variety of s alt and is made up of a set of 84 beneficial minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc normally found in sea water, and is free of any chemical preservatives and additives. These micronutrients and nutrients help to solve many he alth problems.
Hydrological regime
The water warms up in this area depending on the depth and the temperature can range from +9 C to +12 C. The salinity of the water is at around 36‰.
Fauna
The Celtic marine ecosystem is a productive offshore region in the Northeast Atlantic. The fauna of the sea area is very diverse. It is characterized by a high diversity of fish and invertebrates. In addition, there are many seabirds here - the small petrel, slender-billed guillemot, kittiwake, which live along the sea coast. In the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, to which the Celtic Sea belongs, a large amount of plankton lives. It is the main food for most fish species. Thanks to this, the fishery is well developed on the shelf. Four species of cetaceans are common in this area: the fibular whale, the bottlenose dolphin, and the harbor porpoise. Previously, there were much more inhabitants, but poor environmental conditions play a significant role in the reduction of the fauna of the Celtic Sea.
