Cefas Endeavour - January 2013 MCZ Surveys

Surveys of recommended Marine Conservation Zones (rMCZs) in the 'Finding Sanctuary' regional project area in collaboration with Natural England - the reulst fo which should be of particular concern for those who fish in these areas.

Here is the third post from the current Cefas Endeavour survey - poor weather has seen her shirt from a transit off the Scillies to more comfortable and workable waters off Padstow.

The Residents of the Rocky Reef

Posted by Sue on 21 January 2013

On completion of the multibeam survey we were able to look at the processed bathymetry and backscatter data to help us select the position of our drop camera survey stations (shown below).

 

The drop camera is an extremely reliable too for surveying these upstanding rocky reefs where a towed camera (e.g., camera sledge) would most certainly be damaged.  The drop camera is hovered at a consistent height above the reef to allow video of the seabed along the transect to be obtained along with still images of the habitats and their associated fauna.

So, as promised here are some images of a few of the residents of the rocky reef that we captured during our survey.

Top Left: Sea Fan (Eunicella verrucosa), Top Right and Middle Left: Jewel Anemone (Corynactis viridis), Middle Right: Seven-Armed Starfish (Luidia ciliaris), Bottom Left: Spiny Starfish (Marthasterias glacialis), Bottom Right: Ross Coral (Pentapora foliacea).

As perhaps may be expected for this time of year, the weather has taken a turn for the worse so we have decided to move onto our next survey area on the North Coast of Cornwall where (hopefully) we should be able to begin survey (weather permitting).....

Head for the Cefas Endeavour blog here............

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