Whiteness Voe was selected in 1987 as a Marine Consultation Area. The Voe was chosen as a representative site for one of the few voes in Shetland for which there was a presumption against fish farming. The seagrass beds and sediment-dwelling communities at the head of the voe were considered particulary important. The survey described here was undertaken to obtain more detailed information on the marine habitats and associated communities in the upper part of Whitness Voe and to use that information to further assess the nature conservation importance of the area. The work undertaken included surveys of the extent of seagrass Zostera marina and the description and mapping of sublittoral habitats and associated communities. Seven transects were surveyed using direct observation by diving and samples of sediment collected for analysis of infaunal communities from seven sites using a diver-operated suction sampler. One hundred and one taxa were recorded from in-situ surveys and 90 from the 0.1 m squared suction samples. Seven different habitats and associated communities were recognised. Species richness in upper Whiteness Voe was found to be high for such an enclosed area. The character of the habitats and associated communities was similar to only a very few other such sites investigated during NCC commissioned and other surveys in Shetland. The beds of seagrass Zostera marina were the most extensive known for Shetland. The 14 criteria used to assess marine nature conservation importance are discussed and a revised MCA citation proposed. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.
