Identification

Title

2013 onwards, Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA), Rye, small fish surveys by beach seine, fyke net and beam trawl

Abstract

The Sussex IFCA in collaboration with the Environment Agency (EA) and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve (RHNR) undertook small fish surveys monthly June-September on the beach to the west of Rye harbour entrance using fyke nets and a beach seine net, and in Rye bay and off Hastings and Eastbourne in September using a 2m survey beam trawl. The IFCA standard operating procedure for surveying small fish was used (a copy of this document is held by the IFCA) and the methodology conforms with the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) and the Centre for Environment and Fisheries and Aquaculture (Cefas) advice for surveying juvenile bass. All fish caught were identified to species level. The first 50 of each fish species were measured (total length from snout to tip of tail) with the remainder being counted. In addition, fork length was measured for bass, and for all bass greater than 21cm a scale sample was taken for age determination. Additional information recorded includes; water analysis (temperature, salinity, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen (percentage and mg/L) and pH), tidal state, tidal height, persons present, fish identifier and meteorological information. The data is currently stored in MS Excel spreadsheets. The objective of monitoring small fish is to develop a time series of relative abundance in the near shore habitats (areas which are commonly utilised by juvenile fish as nursery grounds). The information collected has many applications e.g. to monitor abundance over time in Marine Protected Areas, to investigate responses to specific events or to investigate the growth rate of a species.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

SXIFCA0000006

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

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

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

oceans

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2008-01-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

SeaDataNet P021 parameter discovery vocabulary

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2009-11-16

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

0.2301

East bounding longitude

0.8660

North bounding latitude

50.9402

South bounding latitude

50.7416

Extent

Extent group

authority code

title

International Hydrographic Bureau, Limits of Oceans and Seas

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

English Channel

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

effective date

code identifying the extent

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2013-06-19

End position

2024-04-17

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2013-12-11

Frequency of update

annually

Quality and validity

Lineage

The fish species identifier is a qualified and competent marine biologist and completed small fish identification courses. Where species identification was difficult samples were sent to a specialist for species verification including the Natural History Museum, London. All fish lengths were measured to the nearest millimeter. Water chemistry parameters are gathered using a 'YSI professional Handset, Multi-parameter Proseries Instrument'.

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

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

Sussex IFCA to grant approval and to be acknowledged in any utilisation of the data

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority

email address

admin@sussex-ifca.gov.uk

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority

email address

admin@sussex-ifca.gov.uk

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority

email address

admin@sussex-ifca.gov.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2013-12-11

Metadata language

eng