Surveying our seas is difficult. This means we know far less about it than we do about the land.  Until now we have not had a comprehensive picture of its habitats, as existing maps are restricted to small, detailed areas that are few and far between.  Now for the first time a more complete, broader picture has emerged following a two-year project to produce a new map of the sea that shows 44 large-scale ‘marine landscapes’, the final maps of which are now available for download.  Marine landscapes reflect the equivalent of mountains, valleys and plains of the marine environment, together with major habitat types. 

 

The UKSeaMap project is a partnership of ten organisations including Government Departments, agencies, advisers and conservation charities.