Identification

Title

2015 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Laxford marine sedimentary and rocky reefs Site Condition Monitoring survey

Abstract

Site Condition Monitoring (SCM) was inaugurated in the Loch Laxford SAC in 2009. In 2015, a subset of survey sites were selected to represent good geographical coverage of the SAC from the baseline monitoring sites that were established and examined in 2009. The aim of this study was to (1) identify any deterioration in the condition of the protected marine features 'large shallow inlets and bays' and 'reefs', and (2) to form a judgement on their current condition. This work consisted of a drop down video drift survey at 70 sites and a detailed reef and mixed reef/sediment habitat survey along 3 relocatable transects. A maerl bed dive transect survey was carried out at the same 3 maerl bed sites examined in the baseline survey. This survey was opportunistic, representing a contingency plan to utilize poor weather conditions on a scheduled cruise, hence the reduced scope of the survey to examine a subset of the baseline monitoring sites established in 2009. Survey work was carried out from the vessel MV Halton.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000312-LL

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

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

Additional information source

Moore, C.G., Cook, R.L., Porter, J.S., Sanderson, W.G., Want, A., Ware, F.J., Howson, C., Kamphausen, L. & Harries, D.B. 2017. 2015 site condition monitoring of marine sedimentary and reef habitats in Loch Laxford SAC. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 943.

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

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

-5.1483

East bounding longitude

-5.0240

North bounding latitude

58.4329

South bounding latitude

58.3764

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

Minches & Western Scotland

Extent group

authority code

title

ICES Rectangles

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-05-01

code identifying the extent

45E4

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2015-08-06

End position

2015-08-09

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2017-01-01

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

This data was collected by SNH between the 6-8th August 2015, from the vessel MV Halton. The scope of this survey was reduced from the baseline SCM survey in 2009 due to the survey being opportunistic and a reduction in the time available, however a similar methodological approach was adopted. DDV Survey: A subset of 70 sites were selected from the 135 examined during the baseline survey. These sites were chosen to represent good geographical coverage, but were limited to depths >10m due to the larger vessel employed during 2015 surveying. Video images were collected using a Panasonic NV-GS150 3 chip digital video camera. The video was recorded on a MiniDV tape. The camera was deployed for approximately 5 minutes from a drifting vessel at each station. positional and time/depth data were recorded at each station. Video material was processed in a laboratory, with the SACFOR scale of abundance employed where possible during the analysis to quantify the species present. Based on the physical and biological attributes, biotopes were allocated. Runs traversing a sequence of biotopes were split into corresponding segments; with the transition points recorded using the video time code. Transect Survey: Three reef and mixed reef/sediment transects were selected out of the nine relocatable transect sites that were established in 2009. These transects represented a wide geographical and exposure range, allowing examination of the outer, middle, and inner loch. The transect route at each site was marked by a 200m graduated line attached to the transect. The transect extended from the shore to the subtidal, where scuba divers laid it along the seabed. A band 2m either side of the tape was surveyed intertidally and subtidally using MNCR Phase 2 survey methodology. Within each zone (defined in terms of differences in the composition of biological community and/or substrate type) records were taken of biota and substrate type using the MNCR SACFOR scale of abundance. Video and still imagery were used to make representative visual recordings of the transect zones and biota. Maerl bed transect surveys were carried out by divers at the same three sites examined in the 2009 baseline survey. A 25m tape transect line was marked out and a 2m band either side of the tape was surveyed by divers using MNCR Phase 2 methodology. Presence and estimates of abundance of conspicuous biota were noted by two surveyors. Video footage and still photographs were collected to retain a visual record of the nature of the habitat and community for the purpose of supplementary material to aid habitat description. 19-25 non-overlapping 0.25m2 quadrats were placed along the transect tape. 4 replicate core samples were taken in areas of live maerl using a 10.3 diameter corer to a depth of 20cm. An additional 20cm sediment core of 5cm diameter was taken for PSA.

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

Not for navigational use; 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; SNH copyright data - its re-use and dissemination is permissable under Open Government Licence terms: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/. Any re-use of this data will acknowledge the copyright owner.

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

no restrictions to public access

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

Consultant

organisation name

No organisation

email address

c.g.moore@gmail.com

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

2019-10-22

Metadata language

eng