2003 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Papa Stour Reef and Cave Site Condition Monitoring Survey
The purpose of this survey was to establish re-locatable monitoring stations and gather baseline field data from each station at a Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) Phase 2 level of recording. The two principle objectives being to gather sufficient data to form judgement on the current condition of the interest features of the sites, and to establish a baseline biological dataset that will facilitate future site condition monitoring surveys of the Papa Stour caves and reefs features. To achieve this goal, the survey methodology included several elements: 1) marking and measurement of reef and cave transects, to facilitate their re-location and the production of near-scale transect diagrams; 2) recording of epibiota to MNCR Phase 2 level within defined re-locatable areas representative of each habitat identified at the transect; 3) production of a video and/or photographic stills record of: a) the extent and distribution of substrata and habitats within the transect, and b) the extent and distribution of epibiota and biotopes within each transect; 4) a remote video survey using a drop-down camera system to record the extent and distribution of substrata, habitats, epibiota and biotopes at survey stations. The outcome of this work was a total of five cave transects (all sublittoral) and ten reef transects (ten littoral and nine sublittoral) surveyed, in addition to which five sublittoral sites were sampled remotely using the drop-down video system.
dataset
GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000083-PS
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::27700
ERT (Scotland) Ltd. (2005). Site Condition Monitoring: surveys of marine rocky environments in the Papa Stour cSAC July-August 2003. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 102.
biota
imageryBaseMapsEarthCover
biota
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
creation
2011-02-16
creation
2011-07-06
creation
2006-08-31
creation
2017-05-12
-1.7667
-1.6363
60.3570
60.2958
creation
2009-06-18
Scottish Continental Shelf
creation
2009-05-01
49E8
creation
1954-01-01
North Atlantic Ocean
creation
2014-05-16
IVa
2003-07-20
2003-08-16
publication
2005-12-31
notPlanned
Cave Surveys: Diver surveys conducted at 5 caves, all partially submerged, after being investigated by snorkelers to assess their suitability. A 100m measuring tape was attached to piton one, and unwound towards the rear of the cave where it was pulled taut and fixed into position with another piton. The position of side tunnels along the datum tape were noted, but not surveyed. At selected points along the tape, a cross-section of the cave was sketched and any biological discontinuities along the length of the cave were noted - used to select points along the tape that would represent as wide a range as possible of the biological communities present within the cave. Detailed records (to MNCR Phase 2 level) of the fauna, flora and substratum present in each zone were then obtained from a 1m-wide band around the passage cross-section. Where doubt existed over species identity, specimens were obtained if possible for later identification. Diver video was also obtained for the cross sections. Reef Transect Survey: Transect location was decided following investigation of the sublittoral environment from the boat using an echo sounder, and visual appraisal of the shore. The aim was to select sites that were easily re-locatable and with evenly sloping terrain extending from the supralittoral down to a depth of approximately 30m or to a distance of approximately 100m offshore. A fixed re-locatable point was marked at the highest point of each transect (in the supralittoral), GPS coordinates and surface relocation photos were taken. Records were taken from a band running along the transect and extending to a distance of approximately 2m to either side. The surveyors distinguished biological zones along the transect based on differences in habitat or substratum and on differences in the composition of the biological communities. Species abundance estimates were made by estimating percentage cover or numbers per unit area, and converting these data at a later stage to the SACFOR abundance scale. In the littoral, photographs were taken of habitats and species within each zone or biotope. In the sublittoral, video footage was taken along the entire transect to gain a permanent record of the zonation and the habitats and species present. DDV Transect Survey: At selected sublittoral reefs the drop-down video system was used to gain information on the distribution of biotopes and substrata beyond the 100m transect or at depths below 30m. During each dropdown video deployment, notes were made of the seabed substratum type, any identifiable epibiota (and abundance estimates) and any visible biological changes with distance or time. Between 2â5 minutes of video footage were recorded on each occasion. SNH's Aphrodite (747I) was the main survey platform for this work.
publication
2018-01-23
true
See the referenced specification
Not for navigational use; SNH copyright data which is available for re-use under government licence terms: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/
no restrictions to public access
Marine Environmental Consultancy
ERT (Scotland) Ltd
originator
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV3 8NW
01463 725000
custodian
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV3 8NW
01463 725000
pointOfContact
2018-02-22