Five benthic image sets acquired during cruises JC241 and JC257 in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (Pacific Ocean, 2023-2024)

Two collections of benthic still images were obtained using a downward-looking camera mounted on the UK ISIS Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), deployed from the RRS James Cook during cruise JC241, 2023. Three further benthic still image collections were acquired using the UK Autosub5 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), deployed from the RRS James Cook during cruise JC257, 2024. All surveys were undertaken in the abyssal plain of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), Pacific Ocean (~4100-4700 m depth). The Grasshopper2 GS2-GE-50S5C camera system was mounted on each vehicle and captured vertically orientated still images at a target altitude of 2.5 - 3 m above the seabed. One ROV survey from JC241 was undertaken to assess benthic biological patterns in an area disturbed by a deep-sea mining machine operated by the Ocean Minerals Company (OMCO) in 1979. The second ROV survey from JC241 and one AUV survey from JC257 was undertaken in the UK-1 exploration area. The second AUV survey from JC257 was undertaken 30 km south of the northern border of the UK-1 exploration area. The third AUV survey from JC257 was undertaken 100 km south of the northern border of the UK-1 exploration area. The surveys were undertaken to derive ecological understanding on the influence of seabed topography on seabed community composition. The data were collected by scientists from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK as part of the NERC-funded Seabed Mining And Resilience To EXperimental impact (SMARTEX) project (NE/T003537/1).