5700b5ecdfb2a31f38d2e2eaa43eb9c8 English dataset SSE_Beatrice_413984 (DASSH) Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats 01752426237 dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk pointOfContact 2026-02-18 MEDIN 3.1.2 EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry 2021-01-06 revision WGS 84 2015 SSE Renewables Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm pre-construction benthic grab survey 2021-10-12 publication 2015-06-23 revision 2015-06-23 creation 413984_Beatrice_2015 https://www.dassh.ac.uk A pre-construction benthic characterisation survey was conducted by APEM Ltd at the proposed Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) and Annex 1 Habitat Survey of the Offshore Transmission Works (OfTW) cable corridor (APEM ref 413984, client ref ED518) between the 22nd and the 27th June 2015. The aim of the survey was to collect grab samples that will provide baseline data on the benthic ecology and sediment composition within the OWF area. Additionally the survey was to utilise Drop Down Video (DDV) to determine the presence of potential cobble reef Annex 1 habitats (EC Habitats Directive) the OfTW cable export corridor and investigate sites of potential archaeological importance within both the OWF area and export route. Twelve grab stations were selected to provide representative coverage of the SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen (Moerella spp. with venerid bivalves in infralittoral gravelly sand) biotope that was identified as being of high importance in the Beatrice OWF Environmental Statement and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and is representative of the Tide-swept coarse sands with burrowing bivalves Priority Marine Feature. Ten of the stations were located within the OWF boundary, with two reference stations located to the north east of the OWF. All stations corresponded to locations that were sampled during the EIA baseline characterisation study undertaken in 2010 (CMACS, 2011). At each of the twelve locations three replicate samples were acquired using a 0.1m2 Hamon grab. Each replicate was then sub-sampled for both macrofauna and Particle Size Analysis (PSA). Soren Pears APEM Limited S.Pears@apemltd.co.uk owner (DASSH) Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats 01752426237 dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk custodian Soren Pears APEM Limited S.Pears@apemltd.co.uk originator (DASSH) Data Archive for Marine Species and Habitats 01752426237 dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk distributor notPlanned Marine Environmental Data and Information Network MEDIN metadata record availability 2026-02-18 revision NDGO0005 NDGO0005 2026-02-18 revision Geology Habitats and biotopes GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2021-09-28 revision Habitat characterisation Sediment grain size parameters SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2021-09-28 revision renewable energy GEMET 2011-07-06 revision otherRestrictions Open Access otherRestrictions Data is freely available for research or commercial use providing that the originators are acknowledged in any publications produced. CC-BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) English 8-bit variable size UCS Transfer Format, based on ISO/IEC 10646 biota environment geoscientificInformation oceans -2.9681 -2.5658 58.1971 58.3590 SeaVox salt and freshwater body gazetteer 2021-01-06 creation North Sea Charting Progress 2 Sea Areas 2021-01-06 creation Northern North Sea ICES Rectangles 2021-01-06 creation 45E7 ICES Statistical Areas 2021-01-06 creation Iva 2015-06-23 2015-06-23 37.6000 51.7000 Delimited https://doi.org/10.17031/6452722f2110c.1 DOI link A link to the web service or dataset download dataset MEDIN data guideline for sediment sampling by grab or core for benthos 2011-01-28 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 To separate preservative from the macrofaunal invertebrates, all samples were washed over a 1 mm sieve in a fume cupboard. All fauna retained in the sieve were then extracted, identified and enumerated. Taxa were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level using the appropriate taxonomic keys and literature. This is not always possible for certain taxonomic groups such as nemerteans, nematodes, and certain oligochaetes due to the widely acknowledged lack of appropriate identification tools for these groups. The National Marine Biological Analytical Quality Control (NMBAQC) Scheme has produced a Taxonomic Distinction Protocol (TDP) (Worsfold and Hall 2010) which gives guidance on the most appropriate level to which different marine taxa should be identified, and this guidance was adhered to for the laboratory analysis. Where required, specimens were also compared with material maintained within the laboratory reference collection. Nomenclature followed the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Following analysis, 10% of samples were subject to internal Analytical Quality Control (AQC). For archiving purposes all samples were stored in 70% industrial denatured alcohol solution.