d33f6bb16e3f567e969ae0eedc40e269 English series Scira Offshore Energy Ltd COWRIE uploader 0044(0) 203 204 3200 N/A One Kingdom Street London W2 6BD United Kingdom info@scira.co.uk www.scira.co.uk pointOfContact 2011-06-28 MEDIN Discovery Metadata Standard Version 2.3.5 urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326 OGP 2009, Emu LImited, Sheringham Shoal, Benthic Ecology and Sabellaria Study 2009-04-14 publication 2009-11-03 creation 4842 http://data.offshorewind.co.uk/ The principal objective of the survey was ascertain whether Sabellaria spinulosa reef had built up in the windfarm turbine areas, or in the associated cable route since previous surveys undertaken in 2008. The survey work presented here found no evidence to suggest that Sabellaria spinulosa reef had built up during that time. All of the sites found to support the biotope SS.SBR.PoR.SspiMx previously were found to support the same biotope. These were amongst 10 of the 16 sites surveyed which have remained the same as those assigned previously. Of the seven sites within the turbine area (6, 18, 21, 26, 30, 31 and 47) four have been assigned different biotopes; these are 6, 26, 30 and 47. For sites 6 and 26 the change is relatively minor between related biotopes. For sites 30 and 47 the apparent change in sediment from coarse to fine sands is more interesting. However, the same change was also seen at site 7 well outside the windfarm area and approximately three kilometers east of the main cable route. Hence these changes appear to be natural in the habitats prevailing in the area. Site 10 was the only location found previously for the SS.SCS.ICS.MoeVen biotope but is now, again uniquely, SS.SCS.ICS.Glap. These two biotopes are related, with the former grading into the latter where the sediment is subject to continual disturbance. Of the 44 video sites analysed, 42 did not register a score for either elevation or patchiness. Neither of the remaining 2 locations, site 4 and 21, scored for both elevation and patchiness. Site 4 had a score of ‘medium’ for patchiness, but the elevation was less than 1cm illustrating this was a thin crust only and would need to be more than twice this measure to register a score. Although not part of the grab survey an extra grab sample was taken at this location and inspected during the survey thus reinforcing the elevation measure here for those pebbles encrusted with Sabellaria spinulosa. Site 21 measured ‘low’ for elevation, but this assessment was based on a single loose pebble with an estimated tube length of 3cm. The grab samples at site 21 show the numbers of Sabellaria to be about 200m-2 well below Hendrick and Foster-Smith (2006) requirement of 500m-2 for a ‘low-grade’ reef score. Furthermore as the UK Biodiversity Group (1999) notes, crusts may only be seasonal features, easily broken up by winter storms and then reforming the following spring. As such they are ephemeral constructs only, unable to provide stable biogenic habitats for associated species and therefore cannot be considered true Sabellaria spinulosa reefs. The cable route video study identified three biotopes that are typical of robust sand and gravelly sand habitats, primarily supporting Pomatoceros sp. These findings are consistent with data results from previous surveys. Scira Offshore Energy Ltd COWRIE uploader 0044(0) 203 204 3200 N/A One Kingdom Street London W2 6BD United Kingdom info@scira.co.uk www.scira.co.uk custodian Scira Offshore Energy Ltd COWRIE uploader 0044(0) 203 204 3200 N/A One Kingdom Street London W2 6BD United Kingdom info@scira.co.uk www.scira.co.uk originator notPlanned PDF Pre-Construction monitoring The Crown Estate Renewable Energy Development Phases 2012-05-15 revision 1 Offshore Cable Corridor The Crown Estate Renewable Energy Development Areas 2012-05-15 revision 1 Renewable Energy Lease area The Crown Estate Renewable Energy Development Areas 2012-05-15 revision 1 Habitat characterisation SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2018-09-07 revision 109 Habitat extent SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2018-09-07 revision 109 Fauna abundance per unit area of the bed SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2018-09-07 revision 109 Marine Environmental Data and Information Network Marine Environmental Data and Information Network no conditions apply 0.1 eng biota environment geoscientificInformation 1.07422162145914 1.22448867986637 53.0961222170913 53.1743332557592 2009-11-03 2009-12-21 -24.5 -1.5 Presentation type: digital representation of a primarily textual item (can contain illustrations also) Spatial representation type: 003 Origin: Emu Ltd dataset All 16 grab sample sites were surveyed. Of the sites sampled, a total of six sites included one or more replicates that were accepted as low sample volume (sites 6 (3), 11 (2), 13 (1), 21 (1), 24 (2), and 54 (3)). Between five and six attempts were made at these sites in order to obtain larger samples. To address concerns about the quality of the data produced by these samples, comparative effects of sample volume were conducted as part of the PRIMER analysis (see Appendix X). This concluded that the sample volumes collected were a reflection of the seabed character and therefore were an appropriate reflection of the habitats and faunal communities present. Underwater visibility at site 54 was very poor due to high levels of suspended sediment at the seabed. At all other video sites, the underwater visibility conditions were poor, but suitable for collection of video footage and stills using the ELViS frame. https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/1942/summary A link to the web service or dataset. https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk A link to the general host site.