Fal and Helford Seagrass Beds Acoustic Survey for Blue Carbon Assessment

Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority and the University of Exeter conducted an acoustic survey of seagrass beds in the Fal and Helford Special Area of Conservation. The survey completed 407 tows using a Biosonics MX Scientific Echosounder, with 403 used in the final analysis. It was commissioned to gather evidence for marine nature recovery plans and blue carbon accounting to support Cornwall Council's carbon neutrality goals.

Use Cases

• Mapping seagrass extent and coverage based on acoustic survey data.
• Estimating blue carbon storage potential for climate action plans.
• Informing marine nature recovery and habitat restoration strategies.
• Providing baseline data for monitoring changes in coastal ecosystems.

Strengths

• Survey includes 403 analyzed acoustic tows, providing a substantial sample.
• Data collection used a specialized Biosonics MX Scientific Echosounder.
• Project has clear institutional backing from Cornwall IFCA and the University of Exeter.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority and the University of Exeter

Collection Method

Acoustic survey using a Biosonics MX Scientific Echosounder.

Time Range

2021

Geography

Fal and Helford Special Area of Conservation, Cornwall, UK