Marine
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How Mature are Nephrops?
4th September 2018 by Marine Directorate Communications
Survey : 1318A MRV Alba na Mara Duration: 25 August – 10 September 2018 Objectives: Obtain estimates of the distribution and abundance of Nephrops burrows in the Firth of Forth and the Moray Firth using underwater cameras. Use the TV footage to record the occurrence of other benthic fauna and evidence of commercial trawling activity….
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Storm Frank Makes its Mark in SCObs Monitoring Data
27th July 2018 by Marine Directorate Communications
Aberdeen may be in the midst of a summer heatwave but scientists in Marine Scotland Science (MSS) have seen the footprint of Storm Frank while performing an in-depth quality check of data from the Scottish Coastal Observatory (SCObs) last week. Storm Frank impacted Scotland from 28th – 30th Dec 2015 bringing wide spread flooding and destruction…
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Bright lights; Big fish trials
2nd March 2018 by Marine Directorate Communications
Survey: 0318A Duration: 8-22 March 2018 Equipment: BT 201 Prawn net – rigged with separator grid and two 80mm codends; Trawl doors, sweeps, bridles, backstrops and pennants; Spare netting and twine; Safety-Net Technologies light unit; PSL5000 light unit x 2; Lindgren Pitman Electralume light x10; 4 x 10m side emitting light cables; Battery pods; Video…
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IA2017 – Eutrophication is still a problem in some areas
18th September 2017 by Marine Scotland Communications
Eutrophication is the result of excessive enrichment of water with nutrients. This can cause accelerated growth of algae (phytoplankton) and plants. This may result in an undesirable disturbance to the balance of organisms present and ultimately to a decline in the overall water quality. Eutrophication is not always a local problem. Water masses continuously move…
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IA2017 – New developments in the way biodiversity is assessed
11th September 2017 by Marine Scotland Communications
OSPAR is committed to protecting and conserving ecosystems and biodiversity through the management of human activities, guided by an ecosystem-based approach to management. The development of internationally coordinated biodiversity indicators is a relatively new field for OSPAR. In the Quality Status Report 2010, OSPAR assessed ten ecological quality objectives developed for the North Sea which…
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IA2017 – Marine litter is a problem
4th September 2017 by Marine Scotland Communications
OSPAR has assessed the occurrence of marine litter in all regions within its Maritime Area, except for the Wider Atlantic where there is poor data availability. Marine litter, in particular plastic, is abundant on beaches, in the water column and on the seafloor. Marine litter also affects biota, as indicated by the levels in North…
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IA2017 – Mixed signals for marine mammals
28th August 2017 by Marine Scotland Communications
The abundance and condition of marine mammals, as top predators, can help indicate the state of the marine ecosystem. As was also the case at the time of the last OSPAR Quality Status Report (QSR 2010), harbour seal and grey seal populations are generally stable or increasing in most assessed areas although some harbour seal…
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IA2017 – Cooperation ensures progress
21st August 2017 by Marine Scotland Communications
The OSPAR Commission is the competent regional organisation guiding international cooperation on the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. Through the global circulation of water and air, the North-East Atlantic is connected to, and impacted by, events in other parts of the world. As such, collaboration among governments and between government scientists,…
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IA2017 – Discharges from offshore oil and gas installations have decreased due to OSPAR measures
14th August 2017 by Marine Scotland Communications
OSPAR has developed programmes and measures in respect of all phases of offshore oil and gas activities and undertakes annual assessments of discharges, spills and emissions from offshore oil and gas installations. Hydrocarbons and ‘chemicals’ are routinely discharged to the marine environment during offshore oil and gas operations. Assessment of the data for the…
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IA2017 – Contaminant concentrations are decreasing, but concerns remain
7th August 2017 by Marine Scotland Communications
OSPAR countries have made significant efforts to reduce discharges, emissions, and losses of contaminants to both air and water. The effect of these efforts is clearly visible in reduced inputs to the Greater North Sea. The observed decreases in contaminant release from land-based sources and the offshore oil and gas industry show the continued progress…
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