Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Surveys (2005 and
2006)
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is in the process of
appraisal through which environmental protection and sustainable
development may be considered, and factored in to national and
local decisions regarding Government (and other) plans and
programmes - such as oil and gas licencing rounds. The SEA surveys
were commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry (now
Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC)). These surveys, in
which JNCC collaborated, collected multibeam and underwater
imagery data from areas off the north and west coasts of
Scotland.
In 2005 Anton Dohrn seamount, Rosemary Bank, Rockall Bank,
Hatton Bank and George Bligh Bank were surveyed. The survey vessel
RV Kommandor Jack collected multibeam, video and stills
data. In 2006 Pobie Bank, Papa Bank, George Bligh Bank, Hatton
Bank, Hatton South/Lyonesse, Polygonal Faults (in the
Rockall-Hatton Basin), Rosemary Bank, the Wyville Thomson Ridge,
the Faeroe Shetland Channel and the West Shetland Channel were all
surveyed. The survey vessel MV Franklin collected
multibeam, video and stills data.
During both these surveys, large areas of stony and
bedrock reef were recorded - some thought to have been
formed by the ploughing movement of icebergs through the seabed at
the end of the last ice age. The Wyville Thomson Ridge contained
large areas of iceberg ploughmarks forming stony
reef. On the flanks of the ridge, bedrock reef was present. Due to
the convergence of different water masses in the Wyville Thomson
Ridge area, very different types of communities were found on
either side of the ridge. These reef communities support
sea urchins, sea spiders, sea cucumbers and a range of
colourful sponges and soft corals. In the areas of Rockall
Bank and Hatton Bank, colonies of cold water coral
Lophelia pertusa were found, forming areas of
biogenic reef.
The data that was collected from these surveys have
contributed to the recommendation by JNCC to UK Government
of three Special Areas of Conservation (SACs):
- Wyville Thomson Ridge
pSAC;
- North-West Rockall pSAC;
- Hatton Bank dSAC.
Data analyses which were commissioned by JNCC have been
undertaken for data collected around Pobie Bank and additional data
collected on the 2009 survey to East Rockall and Anton Dohrn
seamount is currently being analysed.
Further Reading
- Howell, K.L., Davies, J.S., Jacobs, C., Narayanaswamy, B.E.
2008. Broadscale Survey of the Habitats of Rockall Bank and mapping
of Annex I 'Reef' Habitat. JNCC Report 422.
- Foster-Smith, R., Benson, A., Foster-Smith, J. 2009.
Interpretation of Pobie Bank East of Shetland Data for Annex I
Reef. JNCC Report 433.
Project Partners
If you have any further questions about JNCC's offshore survey
work then please contact us.