5381a5c6-3b71-40e8-8b68-172b00ab5027 English series series Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats 01752 426237 dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk pointOfContact 2026-08-13 MEDIN 3.1.2 EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry 2021-01-06 revision WGS 84 2023-2025 Lyell Centre North Wales and Outer Hebrides Environmental Assessment of Scallop Innovation Gear (EASIG) EASIG Environmental Assessment of Scallop Innovation Gear - EASIG 2026-08-13 publication 2025-03-12 revision 2025-03-12 creation DASSHSE00000064 https://www.dassh.ac.uk/ The Environmental Assessment of Scallop Innovation Gear (EASIG) project is an industry and science led collaboration project undertaking rigorous testing of several modified scallop dredge gear that aim to maintain catch efficiency while reducing the environmental impact of the king scallop dredging activity. This is a collection of data covering catch selectivity of these modified scallop dredge designs from fieldwork conducted across 2023 and 2024. Marija Sciberras Heriot-Watt University School of Life Sciences Associate Professor +44 (0)131 451 3455 enquiries@sls.hw.ac.uk owner Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data Manager 01752 426237 dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk custodian Marija Sciberras Heriot-Watt University School of Life Sciences Associate Professor +44 (0)131 451 3455 enquiries@sls.hw.ac.uk custodian Blair Easton Heriot-Watt University School of Life Sciences Research Associate +44 (0)131 451 3455 enquiries@sls.hw.ac.uk originator Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data Manager 01752 426237 dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk distributor notPlanned Marine Environmental Data and Information Network MEDIN metadata record availability 2026-08-13 revision NDGO0005 NDGO0005 2026-08-13 revision Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2021-09-28 revision Fauna abundance per unit area of the bed Fish biomass in water bodies Fish morphology, age and physiology Fishing by-catch SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2021-09-28 revision Fisheries SeaDataNet PO3 Agreed Parameter Groups 2002-06-12 revision Fisihing Activity CHARM III 2012-04-02 revision otherRestrictions Open access otherRestrictions CC-BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) English 8-bit variable size UCS Transfer Format, based on ISO/IEC 10646 biota economy oceans -4.1954040527344 -3.9179992675781 53.330437292132 53.562718373454 -7.4835200607777 -7.0074460655451 57.2155342012 57.693276932823 SeaVox salt and freshwater body gazetteer 2021-01-06 creation Irish Sea SeaVox salt and freshwater body gazetteer 2021-01-06 creation Northern Minch SeaVox salt and freshwater body gazetteer 2021-01-06 creation Sea of the Hebrides Charting Progress 2 Sea Areas 2021-01-06 creation Irish Sea Charting Progress 2 Sea Areas 2021-01-06 creation Minches and Western Scotland ICES Rectangles 2021-01-06 creation 35E5 ICES Rectangles 2021-01-06 creation 42E2 ICES Rectangles 2021-01-06 creation 43E2 ICES Statistical Areas 2021-01-06 creation VIa ICES Statistical Areas 2021-01-06 creation VIIa 2023-08-01 2024-08-31 SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 revision water column Delimited series 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 false Over the course of August 2023, both the Newhaven and N-Viro dredge gear were compared for abundance of king scallop (Pecten maximus) and bycatch retained, as well as the damage inflicted on the retained species. Trials took place in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland between Loch Maddy and Stuley Island. Replicate 30- minute hauls were conducted in two separate biotopes, one comprising mainly cobbles and stone whilst the other comprised of finer sediment and mud. The catch was sorted as king scallop, bycatch including invertebrates such as echinoderms and decapods, stones and other debris (primarily broken shells). Rocks and other debris (shells as example) were weighed (kg) as a total, as were the abundance of scallops collected separated by gear type and belly ring size. Each individual bycatch organism was weighed (kg), sized (mm) and assigned a damage score following a classification adapted from Jenkins et al. 2001. Scallops retained were measured and sorted into those of landing size and under the minimum landing size (<105mm). Each group was then weighed to provide the biomass per gear type and belly ring size. Over the course of May 2024, both the Newhaven and N-Viro dredge gear were compared for abundance of bycatch retained, as well as the damage inflicted on the retained species. Trials took place in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland between Loch Maddy and Stuley Island. Replicate 60 - minute hauls were conducted in multiple separate biotopes, comprising mainly cobbles and stone whilst the others comprised of finer sediment and mud. The catch was sorted as king scallop, bycatch including invertebrates such as echinoderms and decapods, stones and other debris (primarily broken shells). Rocks and other debris (shells as example) were weighed (kg) as a total, as were the abundance of scallops collected separated by gear type. Each individual bycatch organism was weighed (kg), sized (mm) and assigned a damage score following a classification adapted from Jenkins et al. 2001. Scallops retained were measured and sorted into those of landing size and under the minimum landing size (<105mm). Over a 7-day study in North Wales/Anglesey (August 2024), comparisons of seabed disturbance pre and post fishing activity of four modified scallop dredges was conducted. Benthic sleds and side scan sonar equipment was used to collect images and side scan images of benthic disturbance following the fishing activity. Furrows created by the dragging scallop dredges and the abundance of marine biota within and outside the dredge lanes were quantified using these images.