Identification

Title

2017-2019 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Creran subtidal SCM survey

Abstract

The programme of studies was carried out from 7th May 2017 to 28th January 2019 principally by diving along transects and at essentially point stations, as well as by dropdown video. Video data collected during this survey and previous surveys in 2005 and 2014 has been used to assess development of the features over time. The aims of this study were to carry out site condition monitoring of the biogenic sub-features of the loch in order to identify any deterioration in the condition of the features and to form a judgement on their current condition and to assess the current condition of the flame shell bed feature.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

GB-SCT-SNH-ME-000367-MRSNH0300000003C-LCR

codeSpace

http://www.nature.scot

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

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

Additional information source

Moore, C.G., Harries, D.B., Tulbure, K.W., Cook, R.L., Saunders, G.R., Lyndon, A.R., Kamphausen, L., & James, B. 2020. The current status of serpulid reefs, horse mussel beds and flame shell beds in Loch Creran SAC and MPA. Scottish Natural Heritage Research Report No. 1156; Moore, Harries (2020) Monitoring for the possible spread of Didemnum vexillum into the subtidal environment of Loch Creran

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

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

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2011-02-16

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2011-07-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2012-03-16

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2005-04-27

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2006-08-31

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2017-05-12

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-5.4255

East bounding longitude

-5.2286

North bounding latitude

56.5690

South bounding latitude

56.5078

Extent

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Minches & Western Scotland

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2010-01-01

code identifying the extent

circalittoral

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2010-01-01

code identifying the extent

infralittoral

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2017-05-07

End position

2019-01-28

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2020-12-31

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

The condition of the serpulid reef habitat in the lower basin of Loch Creran was assessed by diver along 40 transects over the period 13/06/2017 to 28/01/2019. Two transect configurations were employed. At 15 sites measures of reef condition were obtained along two parallel 20 m long transects 10 m apart (termed 'paired transects'). The locations of these sites were chosen to provide good coverage of historically rich serpulid habitat and in some cases to groundtruth 2015 sidescan imagery. To avoid inter-worker variability, all reef condition surveys were undertaken by the same experienced surveyor, who was accompanied by a videographer recording the condition of the habitat within the same area. The same reef condition data and video footage were also obtained along ten relocatable 25m long transects established for the Didemnum vexillum monitoring study in the lower basin of the loch. On 13-15 June 2017 the degree of reef development was measured in situ by diver for replicates of all substrate types at all five locations. The distribution of the flame shell bed habitat was examined along 23 diver transects in the vicinity of South Shian and Creagan Narrows during the period 2017 - 2019. The drift dive survey was supplemented by grab sampling at three sites on 8th September 2017; A single 0.1 m2 van Veen grab sample was taken at each site and the number of Limaria hians retained on a 1 mm sieve counted. A modiolus distribution dive survey was carried out in August 2018. At each site a shot line was dropped at the chosen position and a diver assessed Modiolus SACFOR density along a short 3 - 5 minute swim eastwards. The dropdown video survey was undertaken in September 2018. The video system used consisted of an SD Panasonic NV-GS150 3 chip digital video camera within a Seapro housing held within a frame and illuminated by twin 100 watt lamps. The frame also carried an HD GoPro video camera. Modiolus SACFOR abundance, substrate type and biotope were recorded from analysis of the video footage.

Conformity

Conformity report

specification

title

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

Sensitive species and or habitat was recorded during survey. As such NatureScot would not release such records in response to an Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 request at a resolution below that provided by a 20km by 20km square. In such a case we would disguise the location by provision of data in GIS format and would replace the original location of the record with a square of 20km by 20km dimension placed around the precise location of the record(s). However, NatureScot may choose to share this data at full resolution with Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies and other trusted partners, academic researchers or developers for use in Environmental Statements at full resolution. However, such release would be strictly under the terms of a modified Open Government licence which would restrict published outputs and onward supply to the degraded resolution. Other species or biotope occurrences in this survey are not considered by NatureScot to be sensitive; as such these may be released at full resolution in response to requests covered by Environmental Information Regulations or Freedom of Information requests; additionally their re-use and dissemination is permissible under Open Government Licence terms. Any re-use of this data at whatever resolution will acknowledge the copyright owner.

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

Restrictions on public access due to sensitive species recorded, only available at 20km by 20km resolution

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

Consultant

organisation name

Colin Moore

email address

c.g.moore84@gmail.com

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

contact position

NatureScot Data Manager

organisation name

NatureScot (HQ Inverness)

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

NatureScot Data Manager

organisation name

NatureScot (HQ Inverness)

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2021-03-16

Metadata language