NatureScot Commissioned Report 959: Biological analyses of underwater video from ongoing monitoring and research cruises in Lochs Sunart, Etive and Alsh, sea lochs off South Skye, the Sounds of Barra and Arisaig, and around the Southern Trench

The aim of this study was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance in seven locations around Scotland through the analysis of seabed video and still photographic imagery collected during monitoring and research cruises undertaken in 2015 and 2016.

Survey locations included Loch Etive, sea lochs around South Skye (Lochs Eishort, Slapin & Scavaig), the Sound of Barra, Sound of Arisaig, Loch Sunart, Loch Alsh and the Southern Trench (outer Moray Firth).  The video data was collected as part of monitoring and research cruises run by Marine Scotland Science (MSS), NatureScot, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and Aquatic Survey and Monitoring Ltd. (ASML).  The current study provides information to underpin future status assessments of the Sound of Barra SAC, Lochs Duich, Long and Alsh SAC / NC MPA and the Sound of Arisaig SAC, as well as to a programme of refining the distribution of Habitat Directive Annex I habitats within Scottish SACs (see Natural Power Consultants Ltd., 2017 - NatureScot Commissioned Report No. 980). 

Franco et al. (2017) presents results of grab samples collected during the 2016 Sound of Barra survey (see NatureScot Commissioned Report No. 961).

Axelsson et al. (2016) presents results of grab samples collected during the Southern Trench survey (see NatureScot Commissioned Report No. 946).

Pages: 248
Published: 2017

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