Identification

Title

1998 - 2009 North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NWIFCA) North Cumbria Mussel Surveys

Abstract

Mussel beds are common along the Cumbrian coast, where they form on suitable hard substrate. In the Inner Solway these inter tidal beds are large enough to support a commercial fishery. However, the beds are unstable and very greatly from year to year. For 12 years Cumbria Sea Fisheries Committee commissioned yearly surveys of these beds to estimate their size and the amount of size mussel available to a fishery. This information was then used to inform management decisions.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

NWIFCA_MUS_CUM_98_09

codeSpace

http://www.nw-ifca.gov.uk

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4978

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

biota

oceans

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2008-01-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2009-11-16

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-3.4669

East bounding longitude

-3.3982

North bounding latitude

54.8675

South bounding latitude

54.8015

Extent

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Irish Sea

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-05-01

code identifying the extent

38E6

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

1998-08-09

End position

2009-07-25

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2013-04-09

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

Surveys took place yearly on beds with significant amounts of mussels present. These surveys were undertaken during the summer months at low water on a spring tide. Each bed was mapped using a GPS in order to to calculate the total area of the bed. Coverage of mussels on the bed was estimated using the "zig zag" technique where the bed is traversed in a zig zag pattern and the presence/absence of mussels recorded under each footstep. Samples of mussels were also taken from the bed. These samples were collected from a 0.1m2 quadrat then sorted and analysed in the lab. The total weight of the sample was recorded. A subsample of 100 individuals was also weighed, as was the separated size (more than 45mm) and undersize individuals. Lengths of the subsample were measured to the nearest 1mm. These were used to calculate total biomass of all mussels and all size mussels on each bed.

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Data is freely available for research or commercial use providing that the originators are acknowledged in any publications produced. A charge may be applied to cover costs of compiling and sending data.

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

No restrictions to public access

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

Principal Offshore Ecologist

organisation name

Natural Power Consultants

email address

sayhello@naturalpower.com

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

organisation name

Northwestern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority

email address

science@nw-ifca.gov.uk

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Northwestern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority

email address

science@nw-ifca.gov.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2019-08-22

Metadata language