National Marine Biological Analytical Quality Control Scheme (NMBAQC)

The Marine Environment Monitoring Group (MEMG), formally known as the Marine Pollution Monitoring Management Group (MPMMG) up until 1st June 2003, has been tackling the problem of variability in methods and the quality standards achieved under different parts of the National Marine Monitoring Programme (NMMP), through the establishment of three quality control schemes covering chemical, biological and ecotoxicology issues. These schemes develop and monitor quality assurance and quality control procedures for participating laboratories to provide comparable and reliable data to the NMMP.

 

JNCC and the conservation agencies (CCW, EHS, SNH, English Nature) participate in the National Marine Biological Analytical Quality Control Scheme (NMBAQC) with JNCC representing the UK conservation agencies (CCW, EHS, SNH, English Nature) on the NMBAQC steering committee.

 

The NMBAQC Scheme was established to monitor marine biological data quality standards for benthic faunal studies.  A series of exercises is undertaken throughout the year where participating laboratories receive samples for analysis from the scheme at approximately three-monthly intervals. Samples distributed include grab samples for macro benthic analysis, sets of fauna for identification (Ring Test) and sediment samples for particle size analysis. Laboratories also submit samples from their own activities for re-examination (Own Samples) and also from their own work for re-examination (Laboratory Reference).

 

To date the NMBAQC has focused on the identification of infaunal species. However, due to the increasing requirement to monitor marine habitats and species through the EC Habitats Directive and the EU Water Framework Directive, there is a growing need to establish similar quality control standards for epibiota identification. With JNCC's past experience in epibiota field recording and its current role in establishing Common Standards for Monitoring marine Special Areas of Conservation (SAC's), the NMBAQC asked JNCC to take the lead with a pilot study in 2001 to assess the level of interest in developing standards for epibiota recording. This was done in the form of a ring test which would help gain an understanding of the current ability of field surveyors to identify epibiota. Since the pilot study and with the NMBAQC's support, JNCC has developed a number of web-based photographic ring tests for epibiota species.