2018 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Skye and Wester Ross Fisheries Trust (SWRFT) Wester Ross benthic camera survey
Dropdown video survey of benthic habitats off Melvaig, Wester Ross, run by SNH and SWRFT for both organisations on the 26th February 2018 using the vessel FV Zephyr. The aim of the investigation was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance and to assess the distribution of herring spawn in the area. Dropdown video drifts were undertaken at 20 stations. Through the analysis of seabed video, the images were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages. Runs and run segments were assessed for the presence of priority marine features.
dataset
GB-SCT-SNH-ME-000355-MRSNH03000000037-MHS
http://www.nature.scot
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
Moore, C. G. 2019. Biological analyses of underwater video from monitoring and research cruises in Lochs Ailort and Fyne, the Sounds of Barra and Mull, inner Moray Firth, off Wester Ross, Noss Head and Rattray Head, and around the Southern Trench in outer Moray Firth. Scottish Natural Heritage Research Report No. 1085.
biota
biota
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
creation
2011-02-16
creation
2003-01-01
creation
2011-07-06
revision
2005-04-27
creation
2006-08-31
creation
2017-05-12
-5.8701
-5.8131
57.8213
57.7687
creation
2009-06-18
Minches & Western Scotland
creation
2009-05-01
44E4
revision
2010-01-01
infralittoral
2018-02-26
2018-02-26
publication
2019-12-31
notPlanned
Observation of the seabed was carried out at 20 sites off Melvaig, Wester Ross from the vessel FV Zephyr on the 26th February 2018. At each site a dropdown video system was deployed just above the seabed for drifts of around 6 minutes. Footage was recorded by high definition (1920x1080) video camera in combination with a lower resolution (SD) (720x576) navigation camera. A video overlay system on the SD camera footage provides time, date, and positional data along video runs. The imagery was used to describe the nature of the seabed, in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages. Species present were, as far as possible, identified and quantified using the SACFOR scale. Based on the physical and biological attributes, biotopes were allocated using the The Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland (v15.03). Where video runs traversed different habitats, the run was split into the corresponding segments, each of which was labelled as a separate video sample. Samples were tagged according to the Priority Marine Features present. The presence of herring spawn was also noted.
publication
2018-01-23
true
See the referenced specification
Not to be used for navigation. This survey recorded no species or biotope occurrences that SNH consider as sensitive; all records may therefore be released in response to requests covered by Environmental Information Regulations or Freedom of Information Regulations; additionally its re-use and dissemination is permissible under Open Government Licence terms. Any re-use of this data will acknowledge the copyright owner.
No restrictions on public access
Consultant
No organisation
originator
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
custodian
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness
pointOfContact
2019-10-25