2017 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Carron and Inner Sound benthic camera survey (July)
This work, undertaken by SNH in July 2017, consisted of a 3-day drop-down video survey in Loch Carron and Inner Sound. 86 sites were surveyed to further knowledge of the distribution of PMF habitats, with particular emphasis on flame shell and maerl beds. The survey was carried out from the vessel FV Shearwater throughout the Loch Carron urgent MPA (May 2017 designation boundary) and extended beyond the south-western boundary to encompass an area of maerl and historic seagrass bed records in Port Luinge, west of Plockton. Eight drop-down video sites were located in the Inner Sound to the north of Loch Carron in order to confirm the presence of a previously unreported flame shell bed there.
dataset
GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000352-LCIS
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
Moore, C.G., Harries, D.B., James, B., Cook, R.L., Saunders, G.R, Tulbure, K.W., Harbour, R.P. & Kamphausen, L. 2018. The distribution and condition of flame shell beds and other Priority Marine Features in Loch Carron Marine Protected Area and adjacent waters. Scottish Natural Heritage Research Report No. 1038.
biota
imageryBaseMapsEarthCover
biota
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
creation
2010-09-18
creation
2011-02-16
creation
2011-07-06
creation
2006-08-31
creation
2017-05-12
publication
2017-10-31
-5.9000
-5.5000
57.5300
57.2600
creation
2009-06-18
Minches & Western Scotland
creation
2009-05-01
43E4
creation
1954-01-01
Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland
creation
2014-05-16
VIa
2017-07-02
2017-07-04
publication
2018-01-01
notPlanned
This dataset was collected during a survey by Scottish Natural Heritage on board the vessel FV Shearwater, following review of the May 2017 results and all previous historical records of PMFs within the Loch Carron MPA and adjacent waters. DDV run data at 86 sites were collected from predefined locations - with particular emphasis on maerl beds and flameshell beds. The selection of site locations for this survey (following the May 2017 survey) was aided by a cumulative perception of the actual distribution of the key habitats - maerl and flameshell beds. Selected sites extended beyond the south-western boundary of the MPA to encompass the area of maerl and seagrass bed records west of Plockton. Eight sites were located in the Inner Sound to confirm the presence of flameshell bed in that area. Both SD and HD video were recorded, with an overlay of position and time on the SD footage. the depth of boundaries between habitats along a video run could not be recorded due to the absence of depth data on the video overlay. Detailed track data at 1 second intervals was also recorded digitally and still photographs of the seabed were taken along the video transects at intervals of approximately 1 minute. The imagery was used to describe the nature of the seabed, including evidence of disturbance, in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages. During processing, species present were, as far as possible, identified and quantified using the semi-quantitative MNCR SACFOR scale. Video samples were also classified according to the Habitats Directive Annex I habitats present and the presence of PMFs was recorded for all video samples.
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: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/; additionally its re-use and dissemination is permissable under Open Government Licence terms. Any re-use of this data will acknowledge the copyright owner SNH.
no restrictions on public access
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
originator
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
custodian
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
pointOfContact
2018-11-27