Identification

Title

2017 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Wester Ross benthic camera survey

Abstract

The primary aim of this benthic survey in Wester Ross, run by SNH and Marine Scotland Science (MSS) for SNH on the 14th - 15th May 2017 using MSS vessel MRV Alba na Mara (cruise 0717A), was to refine knowledge of MPA protected feature distribution using quantitative drop-down camera. Dropdown video drifts were undertaken at 35 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 protected features and other PMFs, as well as for the presence of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance; in particular maerl bed and flameshell bed. Runs traversing a sequence of habitats were split into corresponding segments. Species present were, as far as possible, identified and quantified using the semi-quantitative MNCR SACFOR scale and biotopes were allocated based on the physical and biological attributes.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000337-WER

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

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

Additional information source

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.

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

2003-01-01

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

2012-02-14

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

2017-05-12

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-5.5194

East bounding longitude

-5.1132

North bounding latitude

57.9351

South bounding latitude

57.8572

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

2009-05-01

code identifying the extent

45E4

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

2017-05-14

End position

2017-05-15

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2019-12-31

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

This subtidal seabed data from Wester Ross was collected during a research cruise run for SNH on board the MSS vessel MRV Alba na Mara (cruise 0717A) by SNH and MS on the 14th and 15th May 2017. A total of 35 stations were surveyed within the MPA. Images were obtained using a 1cam alpha Mk5 video camera, set for RS485 and fitted with 256GB of onboard memory, and a Kongsberg OE14-408 underwater digital stills camera. The video frame carried a Savante LMNI-subsea laser scaling system with green lasers set to 50cm apart. Digital still photographs were taken approximately every 60 seconds with the camera frame landed. A high definition (HD) video camera was deployed in combination with a lower resolution (720x576) navigation camera. HD video footage was recorded at a resolution of 1440x1080. Track position, time, date and depth data were displayed on a SD video overlay system. Analyses of the video footage was undertaken by SNH contractor Dr Colin Moore to describe the physical structure and species assemblages present. Species present were identified and quantified using the semi-quantitative MNCR SACFOR scale, as far as possible. Biotopes were allocated based on the biological and physical attributes. Where the video run traversed a sequence of biotopes, the run is split into corresponding segments with the transition points recorded using the time, position and depth.

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

Not to be used for navigation. Native oyster was recorded during survey. SNH Sensitive species policy regards instances of Native oyster (Ostrea edulis) species occurrences and instances of biotope Ostrea edulis beds on shallow sublittoral muddy mixed sediment (SS.SMx.IMx.Ost/ SS.IMX.Oy) as sensitive, as commercial fishing is threatening stocks. As such SNH 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, SNH 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 SNH 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

email address

c.g.moore@hw.ac.uk

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2019-07-30

Metadata language