SUBMARINE CABLES AND PIPELINES

Mariners are advised not to anchor or trawl in the vicinity of submarine cables and pipelines or within 2.5 cables (464 metres) of the Ekofisk Oil Pipeline, the CATS Gas Pipeline and the Breagh Gas Pipeline. Submarine cables support national infrastructure; damage to them may affect critical services and can result in serious consequences, as well as creating a potential hazard to mariners. Wilful or neglectful damage to a cable may result in legal action. Pipelines are not always buried and their presence may significantly reduce the charted depth. They may also span seabed undulations and cause fishing gear to become irrecoverably snagged, putting a vessel in severe danger. 