Identification

Title

2015 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Southern Trench (outer Moray Firth) benthic camera and infaunal grab survey

Abstract

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.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000308-STR

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326

Additional information source

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.

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

biota

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2008-01-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

SeaDataNet P021 parameter discovery vocabulary

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2009-11-16

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

INSPIRE THEMES

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2011-02-16

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

GEMET

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2011-07-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Global Change Master Directory Science Keywords V5

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2006-08-31

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

INSPIRE

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2017-05-12

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-3.0385

East bounding longitude

-1.4107

North bounding latitude

57.9031

South bounding latitude

57.3775

Extent

Extent group

authority code

title

Charting Progress 2 Sea Areas

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Northern North Sea

Extent group

authority code

title

ICES Rectangles

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-05-01

code identifying the extent

44E7

Extent group

authority code

title

ICES Rectangles

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-05-01

code identifying the extent

44E8

Extent group

authority code

title

International Hydrographic Bureau, Limits of Oceans and Seas

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

North Sea

Extent group

authority code

title

ICES Statistical Areas

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2014-05-16

code identifying the extent

IVb

Extent group

authority code

title

ICES Statistical Areas

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2014-05-16

code identifying the extent

IVa

Extent group

authority code

title

SeaDataNet vertical extent keywords

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2010-01-01

code identifying the extent

circalittoral

Extent group

authority code

title

SeaDataNet vertical extent keywords

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2010-01-01

code identifying the extent

infralittoral

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2015-12-05

End position

2015-12-07

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2017-12-31

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

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.

Conformity

Conformity report

specification

title

MEDIN data guideline for sediment sampling by grab or core for benthos

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2011-02-02

degree

true

explanation

See the referenced specification

Conformity report

specification

title

MEDIN data guideline for video surveys of species and benthos.

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2018-01-23

degree

true

explanation

See the referenced specification

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

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.

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

No restrictions on public access

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

organisation name

SeaStar Survey

email address

info@seastarsurvey.co.uk

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

contact position

Consultant

organisation name

email address

c.g.moore@hw.ac.uk

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2019-08-01

Metadata language

eng