79a0868a05d8e125135a23526579c6a6 English dataset 0d12e762-1b4e-4e6e-a916-1f05e4c963cc NatureScot (HQ Inverness) data_supply@nature.scot pointOfContact 2025-06-10 MEDIN 3.1.2 EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry 2021-01-06 revision WGS 84 2009 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) biological analyses of Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Loch Sween sublittoral survey 2011-07-12 publication GB-SCT-SNH-ME-000134-MRSNH02300000006-LS Marine Recorder NS-000134 NatureScot project ID Sub-littoral sediment sampling in Loch Sween. The sampling was undertaken by SEPA for their routine monitoring of Loch Sween (Argyll). Loch Sween is a Scottish west coast fjordic sea loch located on the western side of the Kintyre peninsula and is a complex loch system with a number of unique geological and hydrographic features. The loch has been subject to a variety of monitoring and survey programmes and whilst a number of designated areas are present in or adjacent to the area (some with marine interests) the loch as a whole has no statutory nature conservation protection. To help target nature conservation action SNH and JNCC have generated a focused list of habitats and species of importance in Scottish waters - the Priority Marine Features (PMFs). Provisions to designate new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within Scottish waters have recently been introduced through the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. A subset of the PMFs (MPA search features) will drive the identification of Nature Conservation MPAs. This study looked at existing survey data from within the Loch Sween area any data not currently held within Marine Recorder were entered into the database where appropriate Scottish Environment Protection Agency Data manager sea.gateway@sepa.org.uk owner 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 Scottish Environment Protection Agency Data manager sea.gateway@sepa.org.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 2025-06-10 revision NDGO0005 NDGO0005 2025-06-10 revision Geology Habitats and biotopes Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2021-09-28 revision Habitat characterisation Habitat extent Sediment grain size parameters Zoobenthos taxonomic abundance Zoobenthos taxonomy-related counts SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2021-09-28 revision otherRestrictions No limitations apply 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/ English 8-bit variable size UCS Transfer Format, based on ISO/IEC 10646 biota environment geoscientificInformation oceans -5.7719421386719 -5.5549621582031 55.879933023172 56.061398781014 SeaVox salt and freshwater body gazetteer 2021-01-06 creation Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland Charting Progress 2 Sea Areas 2021-01-06 creation Minches and Western Scotland 2009-06-18 SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 revision circalittoral SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 revision infralittoral Database Marine Recorder Documents Published report 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 The benthic data provided by SEPA for their routine monitoring sites in 2009 were assessed to determine species composition, diversity and biotope type.