4afc5bf6c85e0f3368994eebe3249a8f English dataset NatureScot (HQ Inverness) data_supply@nature.scot pointOfContact 2025-06-03 MEDIN 3.1.2 EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry 2021-01-06 revision OSGB 1936 / British National Grid 2003 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Papa Stour Reef and Cave Site Condition Monitoring Survey 2005-12-31 publication GB-SCT-SNH-ME-000083-MRSNH01100000012-PS Marine Recorder NS-000083 NatureScot project ID The purpose of this survey was to establish re-locatable monitoring stations and gather baseline field data from each station at a Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) Phase 2 level of recording. The two principle objectives being to gather sufficient data to form judgement on the current condition of the interest features of the sites, and to establish a baseline biological dataset that will facilitate future site condition monitoring surveys of the Papa Stour caves and reefs features. To achieve this goal, the survey methodology included several elements: 1) marking and measurement of reef and cave transects, to facilitate their re-location and the production of near-scale transect diagrams; 2) recording of epibiota to MNCR Phase 2 level within defined re-locatable areas representative of each habitat identified at the transect; 3) production of a video and/or photographic stills record of: a) the extent and distribution of substrata and habitats within the transect, and b) the extent and distribution of epibiota and biotopes within each transect; 4) a remote video survey using a drop-down camera system to record the extent and distribution of substrata, habitats, epibiota and biotopes at survey stations. The outcome of this work was a total of five cave transects (all sublittoral) and ten reef transects (ten littoral and nine sublittoral) surveyed, in addition to which five sublittoral sites were sampled remotely using the drop-down video system. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters Data Manager 01463 725000 data_supply@nature.scot owner NatureScot (HQ Inverness) NatureScot Data Manager data_supply@nature.scot custodian ERT (Scotland) Ltd Marine Environmental Consultancy dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk originator Esther Hughes Data Archive for Seabed Species and Habitats (DASSH) Data Manager 01752 633102 dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk distributor notPlanned Marine Environmental Data and Information Network MEDIN metadata record availability 2025-06-03 revision NDGO0005 NDGO0005 2025-06-03 revision Habitats and biotopes GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2021-09-28 revision Fauna abundance per unit area of the bed Habitat characterisation Habitat extent Seabed photography Zoobenthos taxonomic abundance Zoobenthos taxonomy-related counts SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2021-09-28 revision otherRestrictions Not for navigational use; SNH copyright data which is available for re-use under government licence terms: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ otherRestrictions no restrictions to public access English 8-bit variable size UCS Transfer Format, based on ISO/IEC 10646 biota environment geoscientificInformation oceans -1.7667 -1.6363 60.2958 60.3570 SeaVox salt and freshwater body gazetteer 2021-01-06 creation North Sea Charting Progress 2 Sea Areas 2021-01-06 creation Scottish Continental Shelf ICES Rectangles 2021-01-06 creation 49E8 2003-07-20 2003-08-16 SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 revision circalittoral SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 revision infralittoral SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 revision littoral ERT (Scotland) Ltd. (2005). Site Condition Monitoring: surveys of marine rocky environments in the Papa Stour cSAC July-August 2003. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 102. Database Marine Recorder Image jpeg Documents Published report dataset MEDIN data guideline for video surveys of species and benthos 2018-01-23 publication See the referenced specification true 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 Cave Surveys: Diver surveys conducted at 5 caves, all partially submerged, after being investigated by snorkelers to assess their suitability. A 100m measuring tape was attached to piton one, and unwound towards the rear of the cave where it was pulled taut and fixed into position with another piton. The position of side tunnels along the datum tape were noted, but not surveyed. At selected points along the tape, a cross-section of the cave was sketched and any biological discontinuities along the length of the cave were noted - used to select points along the tape that would represent as wide a range as possible of the biological communities present within the cave. Detailed records (to MNCR Phase 2 level) of the fauna, flora and substratum present in each zone were then obtained from a 1m-wide band around the passage cross-section. Where doubt existed over species identity, specimens were obtained if possible for later identification. Diver video was also obtained for the cross sections. Reef Transect Survey: Transect location was decided following investigation of the sublittoral environment from the boat using an echo sounder, and visual appraisal of the shore. The aim was to select sites that were easily re-locatable and with evenly sloping terrain extending from the supralittoral down to a depth of approximately 30m or to a distance of approximately 100m offshore. A fixed re-locatable point was marked at the highest point of each transect (in the supralittoral), GPS coordinates and surface relocation photos were taken. Records were taken from a band running along the transect and extending to a distance of approximately 2m to either side. The surveyors distinguished biological zones along the transect based on differences in habitat or substratum and on differences in the composition of the biological communities. Species abundance estimates were made by estimating percentage cover or numbers per unit area, and converting these data at a later stage to the SACFOR abundance scale. In the littoral, photographs were taken of habitats and species within each zone or biotope. In the sublittoral, video footage was taken along the entire transect to gain a permanent record of the zonation and the habitats and species present. DDV Transect Survey: At selected sublittoral reefs the drop-down video system was used to gain information on the distribution of biotopes and substrata beyond the 100m transect or at depths below 30m. During each dropdown video deployment, notes were made of the seabed substratum type, any identifiable epibiota (and abundance estimates) and any visible biological changes with distance or time. Between 2–5 minutes of video footage were recorded on each occasion. SNH's Aphrodite (747I) was the main survey platform for this work.