Skomer Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) - Zostera marina (Eelgrass) Monitoring
In 2015, Skomer Marine Nature Reserve changed designation to Skomer Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). Skomer Marine Nature Reserve (MNR) was designated in 1990.
Zostera marina is the only flowering plant within the British Isles that grows and produces seed entirely submerged by seawater. Zostera populations are highly productive habitats and they provide an important stabilising function for the mobile marine sediments. The maintenance of Zostera populations directly influences the associated algal and invertebrate communities that it supports, which are an important source of food for birds.
Zostera marina is one of three seagrass species which are listed as nationally scarce and are included as a key habitat for conservation in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan 1994. The bed at North Haven, Skomer is one of only four in Wales and is the deepest. It is completely sub tidal and has been well surveyed.
The purpose of this data capture was:
1. To map the boundaries of the Zostera marina bed.
2. To determine and identify changes in its distribution and abundance.
3. Record conspicuous organisms associated with the Zostera population.
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS100514
- Alternative Title
-
- Skomer Marine Conservation Zone ( MCZ ) formally a Marine Nature Reserve ( MNR ) - Zostera marina (Eelgrass) monitoring
- Eel grass bed
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
-
Permanent markers define the corners of a survey plot of 60 x 60 m2, in North Haven and lead lines marked every 5m are laid for the survey duration. Within the plot area transects are completed every 5 m. Every 5 metres along each transects Zostera shoot counts are taken in 6, 25 x 25 cm2 quadrats. The transects are continued outside the survey plot where Zostera is present. Quadrat counts are completed along these transects at 5 metres until no more Zostera is found.
A boat based GPS unit was used to electronically record the boundary of the Zostera bed as divers with a surface marker buoy (SMB) swam the edge of the Zostera bed.
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 2006-12-31
Temporal Extent
- Begin date
- 1982-01-01
- End date
- 2006-12-31
- Topic category
-
- Biota
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- St. Brides Bay
- Geographic Extent
- Irish Sea
- Geographic Extent
- SIR BENFRO - PEMBROKESHIRE
))
Vertical Extent
- Medin Extent Keyword
-
benthic boundary layer
Vertical Extent
- Minimum value (metres)
- -8
- Maximum value (metres)
- -1
- Vertical CRS
Distribution
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
-
-
Delimited
(
Unknown
)
- Specification
-
Excel spreadsheet
-
Geographic Information System
(
Unknown
)
- Specification
-
GIS MapInfo layers
-
Delimited
(
Unknown
)
Quality
Data quality
- Quality Scope
- Dataset
- Conformity
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
- Explanation
-
This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
- Degree
- false
- Lineage
-
Permanent markers define the corners of a survey plot of 60 x 60 m2, in North Haven and lead lines marked every 5m are laid for the survey duration. Within the plot area transects are completed every 5 m. Every 5 metres along each transects Zostera shoot counts are taken in 6, 25 x 25 cm2 quadrats. The transects are continued outside the survey plot where Zostera is present. Quadrat counts are completed along these transects at 5 metres until no more Zostera is found.
A boat based GPS unit was used to electronically record the boundary of the Zostera bed as divers with a surface marker buoy (SMB) swam the edge of the Zostera bed.
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
-
NRW Thesaurus
-
- seagrasses (see also potamogetonaceae and hydrocharitaceae)
- North Haven, Skomer
- eelgrass
- zostera marina
- zostera
- Skomer MNR
- marine monitoring (see also marine surveys)
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2026-08-27
Keywords
Spatial Reference System
Content
Content Information
NRW Profile
Custom Elements
Constraints
Constraints
Limitations on Public Access and Use
- Restriction type
- Other restrictions
Access Constraints Directive
- Limitations
- no limitations
Access Constraints Text
- Other constraints
-
There are no access restrictions to this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.
Use Constraints
- Use constraints type
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
-
© CNC/NRW 2007. There are no use restrictions on this data. Recipients may re-use, reproduce, disseminate this data free of charge in any format or medium, provided they do so accurately, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright, and do not use it in a misleading context. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose, that dissemination or publishing does not result in duplication, and that it is fairly interpreted. Advice on interpretation should be sought where required. To avoid re-using old data, users should periodically obtain the latest version from the original source.
Attribution Statement
- Other constraints
-
Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved.
Licence
- Other constraints
- Open Government Licence
Metadata
Metadata
- File Identifier
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313030353134 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Parent Identifier
-
Skomer Marine Conservation Zone ( MCZ ) - Marine Monitoring Programme Overview
NRW_DS110059
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2026-09-28T09:47:58.553Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
-
1.0