Monitoring and Surveillance
Monitoring requires a number of standard protocols and tools
for designing, sampling, analysing and reporting on the state of
the marine environment. This page is designed to provide a link to
some of these protocols and tools.
The MNCR took place from 1987 to 1998. Its main objectives
were to identify sites and species of nature conservation
importance, extend our knowledge of benthic marine habitats,
communities and species in Great Britain and provide information
through the data collected to minimize adverse effects of
development and pollution. Other elements of the MNCR involved
developing, along with contribution from country agency staff,
methods for survey, assessment and reporting. The results of the
MNCR programme are published in two overview volumes and 15 volumes
describing the marine biotopes of our coasts. All aspects of the
MNCR and further surveys are supported by Marine Recorder, a
powerful database which enables rapid access, manipulation and
dissemination of data.
JNCC provides advice, and contributes to, various initiatives
and programmes all involved in different implementation aspects for
marine monitoring. These include the Marine Monitoring Coordination
Group,the Inter-Agency Marine Monitoring Group, the Marine
Environment Monitoring Group, the National Marine Monitoring
Programme, and the National Marine Biological Analytical Quality
Control scheme.
JNCC has a general model for promoting standards to give us
the confidence that what is being collected and reported is of a
high quality. With work being carried out on many different habitat
features of conservation interest there is a need to develop and
promote Quality assurance and standards for marine life in
different habitats, both subtidal and intertidal.
JNCC supports monitoring and surveillance through
commissioning research projects.