Marine

MRV Scotia: Survey 1515S Programme

October 16, 2015 by Marine Directorate Communications 1 Comment | Category Compliance, Marine Directorate general, Marine Directorate Science, Research Vessel Surveys

Duration: 19 October – 2 November 2015

Background: The aim of this survey is to gather the initial dataset of a site monitoring time-series for the East of Gannet and Montrose (EGM) and Norwegian Sediment Plain (NSP) Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (NCMPA), see Figure 1. This will contribute information on the habitats found at these sites for more general habitat specific assessments. Work will focus on Type 1 monitoring which constitutes sampling designed to measure the rate and direction of change in habitats in the long-term whilst at the same time collecting relevant information on environmental variables and human pressures to allow inference to be made about possible causes of such changes (Marubini, 2012, adapted from McBreen 2015).

Gear:

Reson Seabat 7125;
Sonardyne Scout Plus USBL system;
Sonardyne omni-directional transponder (x2);
TV drop frame and wiring harness;
TV sledge and wiring harness;
SEA LED lights (x4);
SeaLaser (x4);
Kongsberg OE14-408 digital camera system;
Kongsberg OE14-208 digital still camera system;
Kongsberg OE14-366 TV camera system;
SUBC 1-CAM Alpha HD camera system;
450m and 500m umbilicals;
0.1m²van Veen grab;
0.25m² van Veen grab;
0.1m²mini Hammon grab; and
0.25m² Hammon grab.

Objectives:

To undertake a Type 1 monitoring survey of the designated features of EGM using the Hammon grab (Arctica islandica including offshore subtidal sands and gravels as their supporting habitat and offshore deep sea muds), see Figure 2.
To undertake a Type 1 monitoring survey of the designated features of NSP using the Hammon grab (Arctica islandica including offshore subtidal sands and gravels as their supporting habitat), see Figure 3.
Replicate samples (three per station) will be collected from a subset of stations to inform an assessment of the small-scale patchiness of Arctica islandica (contingency objective).
MBES bathymetry and backscatter data collection on both EGM and NSP NCMPA sites (contingency objective).

To sample inshore sites in potentially sheltered locations in the Moray Firth and around Orkney (contingency objective), see Figure 4.

Narrative:
All staff will join Scotia either on the evening of 18 October or early on 19 October so allowing the vessel to depart Aberdeen Harbour as early as possible on 19 October. After completion of safety drills and exercises, Scotia will proceed eastwards towards the East Gannet and Montrose Fields Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area (EGM), stopping at a suitable location to undertake gear testing if required. The vessel will then make passage to the work site and commence sampling with the 0.25m² Hammon grab on the stations detailed in Figure 2 and in Table 1. On completion of sampling over the EGM site, Scotia will transit to the Norwegian Sediment Plain (NSP) and commence sampling (see Figure 3 and table 2) again with the large Hammon grab. In total, 156 sediment and benthic infaunal samples will be collected from the EGM site and 120 from the NSP area. On completion of Objectives 1 and 2 and if time permits, further sampling as described in Objective 3 will be undertaken over both the EGM and NSP sites

In the event of downtime because of weather and depending on the severity of conditions encountered, sampling effort will be diverted to complete the tasks described in Objectives 4 and 5 above.

Further Information