2015 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Southern Trench (outer Moray Firth) benthic camera and infaunal grab survey
This benthic habitat survey was carried out by Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) for SNH within the Southern Trench MPA proposal from the vessel RV Endeavour from 5th-7th December 2015. The main aim of this survey was to improve understanding of the distribution of benthic habitats within the proposed site, contributing to a programme of refining the distribution of protected features within the pMPA. Fourteen dropdown video stations were surveyed and at a selection of these stations seven grab samples were collected. Further aims of the investigation were to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance and opportunistic/contingency sampling. Seastar Survey Ltd. was contracted by SNH to undertake the infaunal analysis of the grab samples, including identifying all the faunal components within the grab samples, sediment particle size analysis (PSA), and assigning a biotope to each sample. Dr Colin Moore was contracted by SNH to undertake video analysis and assign biotopes to each sample based on the physical and biological attributes.
dataset
GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000308-STR
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
Axelsson, M., O'Dell, J. and Dewey, S. 2017. Infaunal and PSA analyses of benthic samples collected from South Arran MPA, Lochs Duich, Long and Alsh MPA and Southern Trench MPA proposal. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 946; Moore, C.G. 2017. Biological analyses of underwater video from ongoing monitoring and research cruises in Lochs Sunart, Etive and Alsh, sea lochs off South Skye, the Sounds of Barra and Arisaig and around the Southern Trench. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 959.
biota
biota
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
creation
2011-02-16
creation
2011-07-06
creation
2006-08-31
creation
2017-05-12
-3.0385
-1.4107
57.9031
57.3775
creation
2009-06-18
Northern North Sea
creation
2009-05-01
44E7
creation
2009-05-01
44E8
creation
1954-01-01
North Sea
creation
2014-05-16
IVb
creation
2014-05-16
IVa
revision
2010-01-01
circalittoral
revision
2010-01-01
infralittoral
2015-12-05
2015-12-07
publication
2017-12-31
notPlanned
This subtidal seabed data was collected for SNH during a research cruise by CEFAS on board the RV Endeavour between the 5th and 7th December 2015. This was opportunistic/contingency sampling. Video images were obtained from 14 drop-down video drifts. Video overlay display provided time and position data along runs. Depth details were provided for the start and end of the runs. The video frame carried a laser scaling system and the facility to take digital still photographs at intervals. Video footage was recorded at a resolution of 720x576. Analysis of the video footage was undertaken by SNH contractor Dr Colin Moore to describe the physical structure and species assemblages present. Species present were identified and quantified using the semi-quantitative MNCR SACFOR scale, as far as possible. Biotopes were allocated based on the biological and physical attributes. Grab samples were also collected at 7 stations on this survey using a Day grab. Sample depths ranged from 74-93m (bcd). Seastar Survey Ltd. (Seastar) was contracted by SNH to undertake the infaunal analysis of the grab samples taken during this survey, including identifying all the faunal components within the grab samples, sediment particle size analysis (PSA). Biotopes were assigned to each grab station according to the Marine Biotope Classification for Britain and Ireland and the presence of Priority Marine Features (PMFs) highlighted. Sediment PSA was carried out in Seastar's laboratory using both wet and dry sieving (sieves used were at 0.5 phi intervals), as per standard protocols, and laser diffraction.
publication
2011-02-02
true
See the referenced specification
publication
2018-01-23
true
See the referenced specification
This survey recorded no species or biotope occurences that SNH consider as sensititive; all records may therefore be released in response to requests covered by Environmental Information Regulations of Freedom of Information Regulations; additionally its re-use and dissemination is permissable under Open Government Licence terms. Any re-use of this data will acknowledge the copyright owner.
No restrictions on public access
SeaStar Survey
originator
Consultant
originator
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
custodian
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
pointOfContact
2019-08-01