CEFAS0fd3bb0e-876c-4ab9-81dd-ee0afeb10ada English dataset Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk pointOfContact 2026-02-11T02:46:38 EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry 2022-01-07 revision WGS 84 Meso and macrozooplankton abundance in the Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea and English Channel 2017-2023 2022-08-25 publication 2026-02-11 revision 2022-08-03 creation CEFAS21495 https://data.cefas.co.uk Mesozooplankton (down to ~300µm size) and macrozooplankton abundance data gathered as part of an ongoing annual autumn pelagic survey in the English Channel, Celtic Sea and Bristol Channel, with data currently available from 2017-2022. Samples were obtained using twin ringnet deployments at set stations and subsequently processed back at the lab using ZooScan image analysis. Count abundances from semi-automatic image classifications on EcoTaxa are then converted into abundances per m3 using estimates of filtered volume from flowmeter readings. The current dataset comprises zooplankton results specifically from the PELTIC (Integrated Pelagic ecosystem survey in the Western Channel and Celtic Sea) survey series, which has expanded the collection of pelagic data from the core regions sampled in the POSEIDON survey series which ran between 2012-2016. Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk originator Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk custodian Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory (CEFAS) Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory Pakefield Road Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 0HT UK data.manager@cefas.co.uk distributor Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk owner notPlanned Zooplankton SeaDataNet P03 parameter discovery vocabulary 2011-03-25 revision Plankton Taxonomy GEMET, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication Plankton abundance per unit volume of the water column SeaDataNet P02 parameter discovery vocabulary 2011-03-25 revision Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication Water column SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2010-05-18 revision Marine Environmental Data and Information Network MEDIN metadata record availability 2012-01-11 publication data.gov.uk MEDIN metadata record availability 2012-01-11 publication otherRestrictions noLimitations otherRestrictions Public data - no limitations to reuse English biota -8.00 2.00 48.50 52.50 2017-09-25 2023-03-17 Delimited Geographic Information System Unknown https://data.cefas.co.uk/view/21495 Cefas Data Portal download The Cefas Data Portal contains metadata records and data sets available to download and connect to in support of our commitment to open science. Data is available in the following formats: CSV, ESRI Shapefile. The data can also be accessed via the WFS and WMS protocols. dataset INSPIRE Data Specification on Species Distribution – Technical Guidelines 2013-12-10 publication false See the referenced specification 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 true See the referenced specification Since autumn 2017, samples have continued to be collected with twin ringnet deployments and KC flowmeter attachments onboard the RV Cefas Endeavour, with image analysis conducted on those obtained using an 80µm ringnet of 0.5m diameter. Deployments are made at set station locations along transect lines which continue to span the area between the Bristol Channel to the south of Wales and eastern Celtic Sea to the western side of the English Channel. In addition to this, the surveys expanded their focus from purely UK territorial waters around the Cornish Peninsula to include French waters off the western English Channel. In 2020, this was extended further to include Cardigan Bay to the west of Wales. The transect lines stations have been located within have been designed with their spacing and orientation across the prevailing bathymetry of the area. In autumn 2022, a restricted survey period meant that only the English Channel area was sampled and a subsequent survey took place in March 2023 which focused on the Cardigan Bay area (CEND 3b/23). Preserved samples were sent back to the Plankton Lab at the Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory and thereafter prepped for imaging using ZooScan. A minimum threshold of 200 zooplankton specimens were aimed for in the images where possible from each sample, with rescans conducted as necessary. Object images processed from the sample were subsequently imported into the project image library within the EcoTaxa web application. For samples obtained in the CEND 3b/23 survey in March 2023, the method was altered so that samples were separated into a 1mm+ size fraction (d1) and 80µm-1mm size fraction (d2). Both the d1 and d2 components were separately diluted if necessary and imaged as above, to enable a more accurate representation of larger and rarer zooplankton taxa. Once uploaded into EcoTaxa, scanned objects from each sample were predicted into taxa categories with the provision of a learning set to aid automatic image sorting using Random Forest algorithms. These predicted classifications were validated afterward by an experienced zooplankton taxonomist and the metadata downloaded with the taxa counts. Filtered volume estimates were obtained based on calculations using flowmeter rotor revolution counts recorded for each station. Objects captured in images were separated into zooplankton taxa and detritus groups and abundances estimated in terms of per m3, using counts and filtered volume and raising factor calculations based on the sample fractions used. An agreed subset of the data may be selected for quality control checks by a second experienced taxonomist, ensuring quality control in the image classifications. MEDIN 3.1.1