SCONSER QUARRY BASELINE VIDEO SURVE Y JANUARY 2017

Transcription

1 SCONSER QUARRY BASELINE VIDEO SURVE Y JANUARY 2017 Registered in Scotland No Registered Office, 1st Floor, Admiralty Park Admiralty Road, Rosyth, Fife KY11 2YW Stob Ban House Glen Nevis Business Park Fort William, PH33 6RX Stob Ban House Glen Nevis Business Park Fort William, PH33 6RX marineharvest. com

2 2 8 Video survey assessment for: Marine Harvest ( Scotland) Ltd. proposed Sconser Quarry Salmon Farm Requirement for survey: Baseline Date of survey: 19/ 01/ 2017 Surveyed by: Benthic Solutions Ltd. Equipment used: Towed Sledge with HD camera Sconser Quarry Biotope Assessment The footage for each transect has been viewed to identify occurring species, habitat types and zonation. The aim of the survey at Sconser Quarry was to examine the epifauna living on the benthos for a baseline survey as part of an application for a new site. Video footage was collected along three transects; with transect 1 being separated into two parts due to its length. Two sets of footage are recorded; the first is standard quality with geotagging to track the course of the footage and the second is HD footage to assist in taxonomic identification. Figure 1: Footage Locations

3 3 8 Footage Biotope Typing Video 1 - Transect 1 - Part 1 The footage in video 1 has identified the biotope as circalittoral mixed sediment; SS.SMx. CMx with subareas of biotope SS. SMu.CSaMu. Pmax. This is based upon the presence of characterising species Pomatoceros triqueter, Liocarcinus depurator, Buccinum undatum, Pecten maximus, Asterias rubens and Echinus esculentus in support of mixed sediment. The biotope Circalittoral sandy mud with Pecten maximus is supported by the presence of Munida rugosa and Turritella communis in addition to several overlapping species form major biotope type. These classifications are also supported by the prevalence of Queen Scallop Aequipecten opercularis over King Scallop Pecten maximus, as the former prefers habitats with a slightly higher particle size, occurring more frequently over gravel than the King Scallop. The footage shows a mix of sands, muds, cobbles and larger boulders with an area of larger rock coverage, possibly localised bedrock exposure, towards the middle of the recorded footage and a greater proportion of fines at the start of the transect. Areas of finer sandy mud have noteworthy coverage of shells and pebbles scattered over the surface. Table 1: Species ID - Video 1 Transect 1 - Video 1 Common Whelk Buccinum undatum R Queen Scallop Aequipecten opercularis O Common Dragonet Callionymus lyra R Seven Armed Starfish Luidia ciliaris O Edible Sea Urchin Echinus esculentus F Sea Mouse Aphrodita aculeata R Keel Worm Pomatoceros triqueter O Tubeworm Spirorbis spirorbis O Cushion Star Porania pulvillus O Feather Star Antedon petasus R Rosy Feather Star Antedon bifida R King Scallop Pecten maximus O Common Starfish Asterias rubens R Poor Cod Trisopterus minutus O

4 4 8 Video 2 - Transect 1 - Part 2 Video 2 is a continuation of transect 1 and shows similar species occurrence and substrate type. There is less rocky substrate within this section, reverting back to mixed sediment comprising of sandy mud with cobbles and shell overlay. As such it conforms to the biotope assigned to video 1; SS.SMx. CMx with subareas of biotope SS.SMu.CSaMu.Pmax. The indicator species present are Munida rugosa, Echinus esculentus, Turritella communis, Buccinum undatum and Liocarcinus depurator. As in video 1 there is a presence of Queen Scallop, while King Scallop would appear to be absent from this section of the transect at this point in time. Table 2: Species ID - Video 2 Transect 1 - Vide0 2 Queen Scallop Aequipecten opercularis F Cushion Star Porania pulvillus O Edible Sea Urchin Echinus esculentus O Poor Cod Trisopterus minutus O Seven Armed Starfish Luidia ciliaris O Spiny Starfish Marthasterias glacialis R Common Whelk Buccinum undatum R

5 5 8 Video 3 - Transect 2 The predominate biotope within transect 2 is SS.SMu. CSaMu. Pmax with only very brief occurrences of cobbles above the size expected within this habitat. As such SS.SMx. CMx is considered the subtype for this biotope. The classification of SS. SMu. CSaMu. Pmax; Circalittoral sandy mud with Pecten maximus is supported by the characterising species Munida rugosa, Echinus esculentus, Liocarcinus depurator, Pagurus bernhardus, Turritella communis and Pecten maximus. The presence of surface shells and pebbles is likely the reason why the Queen Scallop is again the more dominant of the two occurring scallop species. Table 3: Species ID - Video 3 Transect 2 - Video 3 Edible Sea Urchin Echinus esculentus O Queen Scallop Aequipecten opercularis F Hermit Crab Pagurus bernhardus R Common Goby Pomatoschistus microps R Cushion Star Porania pulvillus O Poor Cod Trisopterus minutus R Rosy Feather Star Antedon bifida R King Scallop Pecten maximus R Seven Armed Starfish Luidia ciliaris R Spiny Starfish Marthasterias glacialis R

6 6 8 Video 4 Transect 3 Transect 3 shows a pretty even distribution over the two previously identified biotopes within the area; SS.SMu.CSaMu.Pmax - Circalittoral sandy mud with Pecten maximus and SS.SMx.CMx - circalittoral mixed sediment. Areas of shell and pebble covered sandy mud intersperse areas of larger cobbles and boulders. The characterising species have remained constant as Munida rugosa, Echinus esculentus, Turritella communis, Pecten maximus, Liocarcinus depurator and Asterias rubens. Table 4: Species ID - Video 4 Transect 3 - Video 4 Poor Cod Trisopterus minutus O Edible Sea Urchin Echinus esculentus F Seven Armed Starfish Luidia ciliaris F King Scallop Pecten maximus R Common Goby Pomatoschistus microps R Feather Star Antedon petasus R Keel Worm Pomatoceros triqueter R Peacock Worms Sabella pavonina R Plumose Anemones Metridium senile R Red Gurnard Chelidonichthys cuculus R Common Starfish Asterias rubens R Cushion Star Porania pulvillus R

7 7 8 Priority Marine Feature Species The video analysis did not identify any species classified as priority marine features in their own right. Priority Marine Feature - Habitats The seabed consists of two key biotope types; SS.SMu.CSaMu. Pmax - Circalittoral sandy mud with Pecten maximus and SS. SMx. CMx - circalittoral mixed sediment. Despite there being some burrowing evident this is as a result of Rugose Squat Lobster, which occurs within the areas of sandy mud, priority marine feature ( PMF) - Burrowed Mud requires the habitat to be fine mud and show representative species of such. Based upon the limited range of burrowing mega fauna, substrate type and the lack of component species associated with this PMF including any seapen species or Norway Lobster, burrowed mud has been ruled out. As there was not an observed presence of: Tall Seapens ( Funiculina quadrangularis) or mud burrowing amphipods ( Maera loveni) and the presence of Maxmuelleria lankesteri cannot be ascertained from video footage, these biotopes within the Burrowed Mud PMF were also discounted. Protected Areas There is one designation within the proposed area of the site this is: Special Area of Conservation - Inner Hebrides and the Minches Adjacent National Scenic Area The Cuillin Hills The Special Area of Conservation is designated for Harbour Porpoise, which for the benthic video survey assessment is not a relevant feature. As such there are considered to be no benthic features within a protected area designation liable to be affected by this proposal. Survey assessed by: Date: 22/ 03/ 2017 Countersigned by: Date: 23/ 03/ 2017