North-West Irish Sea Mounds Habitat Survey 2003-2007

Joint Nature Conservation Committee data from a 2003-2007 survey of bedrock outcrops in the North-West Irish Sea. The project aimed to map habitats for Special Area of Conservation assessment using data from four research cruises aboard RV Corystes and RV Lough Foyle. Surveys collected multibeam, drop-down video, and grab sample data.

Use Cases

• Analyze drop-down video data to classify seabed habitats and identify Annex I reef features.
• Map bedrock outcrop topography and distribution using multibeam bathymetry data.
• Assess benthic community composition from biological grab sample data.
• Integrate video, multibeam, and grab data to evaluate site suitability for Special Area of Conservation designation.

Strengths

• Data collected across four dedicated research cruises over a multi-year period (2003-2007).
• Integrates multiple marine survey methodologies: multibeam, video, and physical sampling.
• Data is archived at authoritative national archives (BGS, DASSH, UKHO).

Limitations

• Video quality from the first 2007 survey is noted as poor due to visibility issues.
• Specific sample sizes, row counts, and data formats are not provided in the metadata.

Provenance

Source

Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).

Collection Method

Marine surveys using research vessels RV Corystes and RV Lough Foyle, employing multibeam sonar, drop-down video, and grab sampling.

Time Range

01/Jun/2003 to 25/Feb/2007

Freshness

null

Geography

North-West Irish Sea, between Northern Ireland and Scotland.