Over the last three years Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (EIFCA) have completed six habitat mapping surveys along the North Norfolk Coast. These surveys had the aim of identifying and classifying areas of differing seabed type in order to produce a habitat map of the area and inform current and future fishery management decisions. Broadscale area characterisation was achieved using side scan sonar and ground truthing data collected from footage obtained from seabed video surveys. Data was subsequently processed and analysed, and a habitat map produced for the survey area. The resulting habitat map indicates an area made up of predominantly mixed sediment and sand and muddy sand habitats. A large area of mixed sediment stretches across the top of the survey area, with smaller patches closer to shore. An area of stony reef habitat inshore off Salthouse (near Blakeney) was also identified. The findings provide us with higher confidence habitat data within the survey area and support the spatial restrictions that have been proposed along the North Norfolk Coast to protect vulnerable mixed sediment habitats within The Wash and North Norfolk Coast SAC.
