Completed Offshore Seabed Survey

 

Click here to download a pdf of the map
 
 
Since 2003 JNCC have been commissioning and collaborating on seabed habitat mapping surveys in UK offshore waters. These have included:
 

2009

Gorgonians, Lophelia pertusa and sponges © JNCCAnton Dohrn and East Rockall Bank (2009)

This survey was carried out on behalf of JNCC by the British Geological Survey, University of Plymouth and Marin Mättenik AB, and were conducted to acquire high quality acoustic and photographic “ground-truthing” data to enable the distribution, extent and biological characterisation of Annex I reef within two Areas of Search for offshore SACs - Anton Dohrn and East Rockall Bank.

 
 
 
 
 
 

2008

Solan Bank © JNCCSubmarine structures in the mid-Irish Sea and Solan Bank (2008)

The survey carried out on behalf of JNCC by Cefas had two objectives: to map the extent and condition of an area of potential methane derived authigenic carbonate which has formed reef-like structures in the mid-Irish Sea; and the extent and condition of bedrock and stony reef around Solan Bank off the north west coast of Scotland.
 
 
 
 
 

Dogger Bank © JNCC Dogger Bank (2008)

The survey, carried out on behalf of JNCC by Cefas, was conducted to gather information to delineate a potential site boundary, and to characterise the biological communities present on the Dogger Bank in the southern North Sea.
 
 
 
 
 
 

2007

Rockall Bank © FRS

Rockall Bank (2005-2007)

These surveys were carried out in collaboration with Fisheries Research Services, Aberdeen and the University of Plymouth.  The objectives of these surveys were to: identify and map the range of seabed habitats present on the Rockall Bank seamount; identify areas of Annex I bedrock and stony reef; and to further develop the deep-water sections of the EUNIS habitat classification system.

 

 

 

 

 

South-West Approaches © MESHSouth-West Approaches (2007)

This survey was undertaken as part of the MESH (Mapping European Seabed Habitats) project to map the deep sea habitats of the submarine canyons in the South West Approaches.  This was a collaborative project involving Defra, JNCC, the Marine Institute (Republic of Ireland), the British Geological Survey and the University of Plymouth.  The objectives of this cruise were: to collect high resolution acoustic data and camera imagery; identify and map the extent of Annex I reef habitat; and to trial the application of the MESH Guidance Framework, from survey conception and planning through to reporting.

 

 

 

Mid Irish Sea Reefs © JNCCMid-Irish Sea Reefs (2007)

The survey was carried out on behalf of JNCC by ERT (Scotland) Ltd.  The objectives were: to map the extent of Annex I stony reef and to characterise the biological communities present on the seabed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

North West Irish Sea Mounds © AFBINorth-West Irish Sea Mounds (2003, 2006, 2007)

This survey was carried out in collaboration with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and Queens University, Belfast. The aim of the project was to map the extent of Annex I bedrock reef and to characterise the biological communities present on the seabed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2006

Central English Channel © Cefas The Eastern English Channel (2005-2006)

JNCC was a collaborative partner on this survey, working with Cefas, the British Geological Survey and Marine Ecological Surveys Ltd.  This survey was funded by the Marine Environment Protection Fund.  The aim of the project was to produce regional habitat maps to support management of planned exploitation of large marine aggregate resources in this area and to identify areas of Annex I bedrock and/or stony reef.
 
 
 
 

2005

Wyville Thomson Ridge © Crown Copyright

SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment) surveys off North Scotland (2005)

The SEA surveys were commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry (now Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC)), the data from which is used in the planning of offshore developments.  The surveys that JNCC collaborated on collected multibeam and underwater imagery data from areas off the north and west of Scotland.
 
 
 
 
 

Sandbank East of Isle of Man © AFBISandbank to the east of the Isle of Man (2004-2006)

These surveys were run in collaboration with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and Queens University, Belfast. The aim of the project was to map the extent of this sandbank in UK offshore waters east of the Isle of Man and to characterise the biological communities present on the sandbank.  This enabled the assessment of this sandbank as a possible Annex I sandbank.
 
 
 

 

 

North-West Anglesey © JNCCNorth-West Anglesey (2005)

This survey was run in collaboration with the Countryside Council for Wales, the National Museum of Wales and the University College Cork with funding from the MESH project.  The aim of the survey was to map the extent of potential Annex I reef in four areas off North-West of Anglesey, and to characterise the biological communities present.
 
 
 
 
 

2004

South West Barra © AFBIWest Hebrides (2004)

This survey was run in collaboration with Scottish Natural Heritage, Queens University Belfast and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland.  The aim of the project was to investigate six areas to the west and south-west of the Outer Hebrides, to map the seabed habitats and characterise the biological communities present on the seabed.

 

 

 

 

 

Stanton Banks © AFBIBlackstones and Stanton Banks (2004)

These surveys were run in collaboration with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and Queens University, Belfast.  The aim of these surveys was to map the extent of Annex I bedrock reef in two areas to the north and east of Northern Ireland, and to characterise the biological communities present.

 

 

 

 

 

2003

INorth-West Anglesey © JNCC/CCWrish Sea Pilot Project (2003)

This collaborative survey between JNCC and the Countryside Council for Wales was undertaken as part of the Review of Marine Nature Conservation Irish Sea Pilot.  The survey aim was to gather additional information to test the validity of the marine landscapes developed under the Irish Sea pilot.