BioMar Partners

Role of the Partners

OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Mapping maritime biotopes

The National parks and Wildlife Service will survey the Areas of Scientific Interest with a Maritime component. The data will be linked to that for the marine areas collected by TCD in a Geographical Information System. All the data collected on Irish marine biotopes by TCD will be lodged with the OPW at the end of the project.

Adminstrative co-ordination

The Office of Public Works will be responsible for the administrative co-ordination of the project and will be responsible for any liaison with the EC in relation to BioMar.

Personnel involved with BioMar are Mr M. Canny; Mr T. Wright, administrative co-ordinator; Mr. M. de Buitlear, GIS; Dr C. O'Croidáin, maritime surveys & technical liaison.

BioMar Partners

JOINT NATURE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MARINE NATURE CONSERVATION REVIEW

Survey of marine biotopes

A survey of marine habitats and their communities (i.e. biotopes), of the sea bed of England, Scotland and Wales has been in progress since 1987. In addition existing information on marine biotopes is being gathered to help identify sites of high marine conservation value. This work is being carried out by the Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) within the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. A database has been developed for the storage, retrieval and analysis of this data and TCD will use the same database for their data.

Development of a marine biotope classification

MNCR is developing a structured classification of marine biotopes for the NE Atlantic. It will be based on the results of their survey work, existing information and the TCD survey. The classification will include all marine and brackish-water habitats which occur around the UK and Ireland and will allow for the inclusion of biotopes from other coasts of the NE Atlantic. It will enable users to make objective inter-site comparisons of data. The classification will be used to develop marine elements of the European CORINE Classification, which is used for terrestrial habitats, and aid in the selection of Special Areas of Conservation for the EC Habitats and Species Directive.

Dr K. Hiscock and Mr D. Connor are responsible for the co-ordination of the role of JNCC in the BioMar project.

BioMar Partners

TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN

Survey of marine habitats and communities in Ireland

A team of marine ecologists will survey and describe a wide variety of marine habitats and their communities on the sea bed and shores around the coast of the Republic of Ireland. Factors such as the type of substrata, i.e. sand, rock etc., topography, wave exposure, current velocity, salinity, water quality, human activities and geographic location will be considered when selecting survey sites. In addition a bibliography of all relevant literature will be compiled.

Identify sites in need of nature conservation

From the results of the marine survey and other data on marine biotopes, sites of conservation importance will be identified and suggested for inclusion in the list of protected areas for 'Natura 2000' under the EC Habitats Directive. At present only eight Areas of Scientific Interest (ASI) have been chosen on the basis of their marine flora and fauna. All other ASI with a marine component were chosen because of their importance to birds, or for botanical or geological reasons.

Development of survey methods

The TCD team will produce a manual of survey techniques for describing and mapping marine habitats and their communities. The methods will be based on those developed by the JNCC and those used by the Ulster Museum in a similar survey of Northern Ireland. It is hoped that these methods will then be used for future surveys of marine biotopes in the NE Atlantic.

Data storage, analysis and dissemination

A Geographical Information System (GIS) based on the ArcInfo computer programme will be developed. It will store and integrate the data on marine and maritime areas with data and photographs of the marine habitats and communities surveyed. Model electronic dissemination products will be developed. This system will result in a marine coastal data system which can be used by local authorities and other persons interested in coastal zone management.

Scientific co-ordination

TCD will co-ordinate the scientific element of the BioMar project and develop links with other European scientists by organising a number of workshops.

The BioMar team in TCD is Dr M.J. Costello, Director; Mr B.E. Picton : Field Team Leader; Mr C.S. Emblow: Equipment Officer; Ms C.C. Morrow: Field Assistant; Mr P. Mills, computing ; Ms K.S. Kelly, Ms S. Dempsey: bibliography, Ms F. McCoole: research assistant.

BioMar Partners

UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE

Remote mapping of marine biotopes

The University of Newcastle will develop and evaluate methods for the remote mapping of marine biotopes using underwater sonar, video photography, charts and aerial photography. As part of the rapid broad scale mapping techniques volunteers in the Seasearch programme are used to collect data on the location of different habitats and their communities to provide a basic knowledge of biotope distribution for many areas. Seasearch is a joint programme between the Marine Nature Conservation Review, which is part of the JNCC, the Marine Conservation Society and the University of Newcastle. There will be a comparison of the results of the remote mapping techniques with scuba diver surveys by JNCC, TCD and Seasearch.

Presentation and interpretation of scientific data for use in coastal zone management

If scientific data is to be of use in Coastal Zone Management it must be presented so that it can be understood by people with different levels of expertise, ranging from specialists in this area and government administrators to the general public. Newcastle University will design ways in which marine data can be presented to, and interpreted by, a wide range of people.

The team at Newcastle University is Dr R. Foster-Smith, Dr J. Davies and Ian Sotheran.

BioMar Partners

Review the status of marine conservation and legislation in Europe

AIDEnvironment gathered detailed information on designated and protected marine conservation sites in Europe and the national and international legislation covering these areas. From this information recommendations were made with respect to EC policies for the protection of marine areas and implementation of the EC Habitats Directive and the Natura 2000 programme.

The collection of data and the production of the report was the responsibility of Mr G. Peet and Dr H. Nijkamp, and this part of BioMar was completed in March 1994.

BioMar Partners