2015 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Laxford marine sedimentary and rocky reefs Site Condition Monitoring survey
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.
dataset
GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000312-LL
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
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.
biota
biota
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
creation
2011-02-16
creation
2006-08-31
creation
2017-05-12
-5.1483
-5.0240
58.4329
58.3764
creation
2009-06-18
Minches & Western Scotland
creation
2009-05-01
45E4
2015-08-06
2015-08-09
publication
2017-01-01
notPlanned
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.
publication
2011-02-02
true
See the referenced specification
publication
2018-01-23
true
See the referenced specification
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.
no restrictions to public access
Consultant
No organisation
originator
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
custodian
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
pointOfContact
2019-10-22