NRW_DS101780 eng NRW_DS114501 dataset Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en pointOfContact 2026-03-03T12:28:03 MEDIN 3.1.2 wel eng utf8 Latitude and Longitude (EPSG::4326) A study of the Milford Haven maerl bed (2005) A study of the Milford Haven maerl bed (2005) Astudiaeth ar wely marl Aberdaugleddau yn 2005 2005 CCW study of the Milford Haven Maerl Bed MRCCW16500000002 2007-02-28 publication 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313031373830 Maerl beds are a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) habitat and are also included in the biodiversity duty of public bodies introduced by the NERC Act 2006. Maerl is a collective term for several species of red seaweed, with hard, chalky skeletons. It is rock hard and, unlike other seaweeds, it grows as unattached rounded nodules or short, branched shapes on the seabed. Maerl beds are an important habitat for many different types of marine life, which live amongst or are attached to the surface of Maerl, or burrow in the coarse gravel of dead maerl beneath the top living layer. Maerl beds can be of importance to sustainable fisheries, providing nursery grounds for commercial species of fish and shellfish. In Milford Haven the maerl species Phymatolithon calcareum forms the only living maerl bed in Wales. P. calcareum is listed in the EC Habitats Directive Annex Vb. The aim of this project was to collate high quality images of the Milford Haven maerl bed to create a base line for long term monitoring for Biodiversity Action Plan reporting. There is high confidence in this dataset as the surveyors are amongst the most experienced marine biologists in the UK. Maerl beds are a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) habitat and are also included in the biodiversity duty of public bodies introduced by the NERC Act 2006. Maerl is a collective term for several species of red seaweed, with hard, chalky skeletons. It is rock hard and, unlike other seaweeds, it grows as unattached rounded nodules or short, branched shapes on the seabed. Maerl beds are an important habitat for many different types of marine life, which live amongst or are attached to the surface of Maerl, or burrow in the coarse gravel of dead maerl beneath the top living layer. Maerl beds can be of importance to sustainable fisheries, providing nursery grounds for commercial species of fish and shellfish. In Milford Haven the maerl species Phymatolithon calcareum forms the only living maerl bed in Wales. P. calcareum is listed in the EC Habitats Directive Annex Vb. The aim of this project was to collate high quality images of the Milford Haven maerl bed to create a base line for long term monitoring for Biodiversity Action Plan reporting. There is high confidence in this dataset as the surveyors are amongst the most experienced marine biologists in the UK. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en owner Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en custodian Bunker MarineSeen, Estuary Cottage, Bentlass, Hundleton, Pembrokeshire, SA71 5RN fbunker@marineseen.com http://www.marineseen.com/ originator South Hook LNG Terminal Company Ltd Dale Road, Herbrandston, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, SA73 3SU publicinfo@southhooklng.com http://www.southhooklng.co.uk originator Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en distributor notPlanned Habitats and biotopes theme GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme underwater conservation underwater photography Video survey Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Maerl beds theme NRW Thesaurus 2025-01-08 publication geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords Zoobenthos taxonomic abundance theme SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2024-06-19 publication geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml otherRestrictions The following data is considered OS derived data and is therefore jointly owned by NRW and the Ordnance Survey. There are no access restrictions on this data. However there are third party use restrictions. no limitations otherRestrictions © CNC/NRW and © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Natural Resources Wales, AC0000849444 Data may be re-used under provision and in line with the terms of a NRW licence. Those seeking commercial re-use require a commercial licence available from the OS. vector eng utf8 biota SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 revision benthic boundary layer NRW Geographic Identifiers Collection 2024-01-01 publication Irish Sea NRW Geographic Identifiers Collection 2024-01-01 publication St. Brides Bay NRW Geographic Identifiers Collection 2024-01-01 publication SIR BENFRO - PEMBROKESHIRE NRW Geographic Identifiers Collection 2024-01-01 publication Wales (WLS) -5.172808 -4.966754 51.632661 51.760379 2005-01-01 2005-12-31 Database [A] Data is held as video footage [B] Excel spreadsheets [C] Marine Recorder (MRCCW16500000002) [D] Spatial TAB files [E] JPEG images [F] The final report is held in both a Word document and as a .pdf dataset Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08 publication This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation. false The first phase of the fieldwork was to map the extent of the maerl bed in Milford Haven and to determine the distribution and abundance of live maerl using drop down video. The second phase of the fieldwork was detailed study at six sites by divers who recorded the frequency of occurrence of macrobiota in a series of quadrats. At four of the sites, core samples were collected for infaunal and sediment particle size analysis. The present study follows on from work completed in May 2004 (RPS, 2004). RPS carried out an exploratory survey of the maerl bed in Milford Haven waterway in the vicinity of Herbrandston jetty on behalf of South Hook Liquid Natural Gas Terminal Company Ltd (South Hook LNG). This was the most comprehensive work on this maerl bed to date but the survey was partial and significant data gaps remained. The present study was designed to use a similar methodology to that used by RPS and to build on the existing data collected to give a better picture of the extent and quality of the maerl within the Milford Haven waterway. The first phase of the fieldwork was to map the extent of the maerl bed in Milford Haven and to determine the distribution and abundance of live maerl using drop down video. The second phase of the fieldwork was detailed study at six sites by divers who recorded the frequency of occurrence of macrobiota in a series of quadrats. At four of the sites, core samples were collected for infaunal and sediment particle size analysis. The present study follows on from work completed in May 2004 (RPS, 2004). RPS carried out an exploratory survey of the maerl bed in Milford Haven waterway in the vicinity of Herbrandston jetty on behalf of South Hook Liquid Natural Gas Terminal Company Ltd (South Hook LNG). This was the most comprehensive work on this maerl bed to date but the survey was partial and significant data gaps remained. The present study was designed to use a similar methodology to that used by RPS and to build on the existing data collected to give a better picture of the extent and quality of the maerl within the Milford Haven waterway.