Intertidal Monitoring of Eelgrass (Zostera noltii) Beds in the Menai Strait and Conwy Bay Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) 2004 and 2005 dataset https://portal.medin.org.uk/portal/start.php?tpc=007_NRW_DS102007 The Habitats Directive establishes that the management of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) should aim to achieve the favourable conservation status of habitat and species features listed within its Annex I and Annex II. For SACs in Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) is therefore required to report on a regular basis on whether features are in favourable conservation status. Seagrass beds develop in intertidal and shallow subtidal areas on sands and muds. They may be found in marine inlets and bays but also in other areas, such as lagoons and channels, which are sheltered from significant wave action. Zostera noltii generally occurs higher on the shore than the other two Zostera species found in the UK and occurs in low/variable salinity areas. Seagrass beds have important biological functions and are of conservation and economic importance; however human activity in the coastal zone (pollution, dredging boat mooring etc) can affect its distribution or even destroy the beds completely. The work expressed here is both to trial the methodology and to establish a reference condition for the eelgrass beds at Foryd Bay and Traeth Lafan in the Menai Strait and Conwy Bay SAC. The purpose of this data capture was to determine and map the extent, density and condition of Zostera noltii identified at Traeth Lafan and Foryd bay in previous years, record the presence of epiphytes and ephemeral algal species on the beds, record other conspicuous biota within the Zostera beds, record any damage or disease of the Zostera and develop and test an index of damage. 20090131