Community Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Equipment Fund

About the fund

Coastal communities, local groups and individuals around Scotland’s coast are well-placed to lead on the active stewardship of their marine environment. They have expressed a wish for greater participation in the surveying of their inshore waters, and the collection of information and evidence that underpins marine management decisions.

Through the collaborative Community Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Project – a partnership between NatureScot¹, Fauna & Flora, communities, groups and individuals with support from the William Grant Foundation² – we aim to enhance participation in community collection of marine data through the surveying and monitoring of local inshore waters.

The Community Marine Monitoring Equipment Fund is a dedicated fund aimed specifically at supporting community and local groups with the purchase of marine survey equipment to participate in community-led marine biodiversity surveys and monitoring.

Accepting applications

We are now accepting applications, up to £1,500 for individual applications and £3,000 for joint applications, to the equipment fund. The equipment fund will remain open until current funds are exhausted. Details about the fund and how to apply can be read in the Fund Criteria and Information document below.

Communities and/or local groups who are interested in marine monitoring are encouraged to contact us at [email protected] to discuss ideas before submitting an application to the fund.

• Fund Criteria and Information document
• Application form
• Survey profile form

Communities and local groups with marine monitoring equipment

A list of the communities and local groups who successfully applied to the equipment fund are listed below. A brief overview of the type of survey equipment they purchased and their survey locations is provided. If you are interested in collaborating with these groups and/or sharing their equipment, please get in touch at [email protected].

• Berwickshire Marine Reserve – Intertidal and subtidal survey equipment to monitor the biodiversity in the Berwickshire Marine Reserve.
• Cardross Climate Action Network (Cardross Bay subgroup) – Intertidal survey equipment, polecam set-up and binoculars to monitor the habitats and species in Cardross Bay.
• Castlebay and Vatersay Community Council – Equipment for rocky shore zonation surveys and seagrass surveys, shared with Vatersay Hall Association.
• Craignish Restoration of Marine and Coastal Habitats (CROMACH) – Drop-down video camera, shared with Friends of the Sound of Jura, to survey Loch Craignish for suitable sites for native oyster restoration.
• Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) – Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), intertidal survey equipment and a polecam set-up to monitor the South Arran Marine Protected Area (MPA) and the Lamlash Bay No Take Zone.
• Eigg Environmental Action Group - Subtidal survey equipment (snorkelling gear, camera, bathyscope) for surveying the coastal waters of the Island of Eigg.
• Fair Isle Marine Research Organisation – Camera equipment to set-up photo stations across Fair Isle and to create a species image library of local marine habitats and species.
• Friends of Largo Bay – Camera and other equipment to conduct intertidal surveys.
• Friends of Loch Hourn – Equipment to survey and monitor seagrass and native oysters.
• Friends of Merkinch Local Nature Reserve- Quadrats, field guides and other equipment to conduct intertidal surveys.
• Friends of the Sound of Jura – Drop-down video camera, shared with CROMACH, to survey flapper skate in the Sound of Jura.
• Knoydart Ranger Service – Polecam set-up to monitor subtidal habitats and species in Loch Nevis.
• Little Loch Broom Marine Life – ROV and intertidal survey equipment, both shared with the Wester Ross Fisheries Trust, to monitor the marine habitats and species of Little Loch Broom.
• Moray Ocean Community - seagrass and intertidal survey equipment to document species and habitats in the Moray and Beauly Firths.
• North Ronaldsay Transition – Intertidal survey equipment, shared with the Orkney Natural History Museum, to monitor the shores of North Ronaldsay.
• Ocean School at Struan and Carbost Primary Schools – Intertidal and subtidal survey equipment to monitor the marine habitat and species found along the shores of Struan and Carbost.
• Orkney Natural History Society Museum – Intertidal survey equipment, shared with North Ronaldsay Transition, to monitor sites in Stromness and Hoy.
• Orkney Skate Trust – Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) systems to survey flapper skate in the waters around Orkney.
• Scottish Humpback ID – Cetacean survey equipment for the Firth of Forth.
• Sea Change Wester Ross – Supporting equipment for an ROV to monitor the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area.
• Shark and Skate Conservation Scotland – BRUV system to survey flapper skate at various sites across Scotland.
• Shetland Community Wildlife Group – Intertidal and subtidal survey equipment and camera equipment for photo stations to monitor sites across Shetland.
• South Skye Seas initiative (SSSI) – ROV to survey the waters around the south of Skye with a particular interest in locating seagrass beds.
• Wardie Bay Beachwatch – Intertidal and subtidal survey equipment to monitor marine habitats and species in Wardie Bay.
• Wester Ross Fisheries Trust – ROV and intertidal survey equipment, both shared with Little Loch Broom Marine Life, to monitor the Wester Ross area.
• Vatersay Hall Association – Equipment for rocky shore zonation surveys and seagrass surveys, shared with Castlebay and Vatersay Community Council.

References

 

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