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<oai_dc:dc xmlns:oai_dc="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/ http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc.xsd">
  <dc:title xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Bangor University School of Ocean Sciences (SOS) Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Towed Video Seabed Surveys (2009 - 2011)</dc:title>
  <dc:type xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">dataset</dc:type>
  <dc:identifier xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">https://portal.medin.org.uk/portal/start.php?tpc=007_NRW_DS115275</dc:identifier>
  <dc:description xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">The primary aim of the survey work and reports by the School of Ocean Sciences was to assess the characteristics and status of offshore benthic habitats, and primarily whether 'stony reef' habitat was present and then to assess the effects of scallop dredging on those habitats. The secondary aim of this data capture was to improve seabed habitat mapping for Cardigan Bay and assign biotopes. Surveys of seabed in Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) carried out by the School of Ocean Sciences (SOS) Bangor University in 2009, 2010 and 2011. 

Work included side-scan surveys (December 2009) grab sampling of sediments for particle size analysis (December 2009 and June 2010) and drop-down video and stills camera tows (all four surveys). 

The drop-down imagery dataset comprises: 
Survey 1 (December 2009): 72 tows (4743 stills); 
Survey 2 (June 2010): 59 tows (4720 stills); 
Survey 3 (December 2010): 13 tows (1364 stills); 
Survey 4 (April 2011): 47 tows (5347 stills). 

Video tows were approximately 10 minutes in length with still images taken every 10 seconds along the length of the tow. 

The videos and still images from the first two surveys were analysed by SOS and subsequently converted by Coastal Assessment Liaison and Monitoring (CALM) to a format suitable for entry into Marine Recorder including assignment of biotopes. 

The videos and still images from the last two surveys were analysed by CALM to describe habitats species and biotopes. Grab samples were taken from each site during the first two surveys but only the sediment particle size analyses data from the first survey are included in this dataset. 

Sidescan survey data are not included with this dataset. The four surveys described were not directly associated with any other programme and no further work is currently planned. However it is important to note that staff in the SOS are still working on the data collected during this survey and are planning to produce publications from it.</dc:description>
  <dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">20110409</dc:date>
</oai_dc:dc>