4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313130303233 English NRW_DS114501 Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en 2026-03-03T15:45:04.72Z NRW 1.0 wel British National Grid (EPSG::27700) Welsh Sandbank Survey: Fish Stomach Content, Fish Epibenthic Survey, and Data Analysis (2001) Welsh Sandbank Survey: Fish Stomach Content, Fish Epibenthic Survey, and Data Analysis (2001) Arolwg banciau tywod Cymru 2001:cynnwys boliau pysgod, dadansoddiad o ddata, arolwg epibenthig o bysgod 2001 CCW cSAC sandbanks survey Zooplankton analysis MRCCW30000000037 2001CCW/ NMGW Macrofaunal Survey of Welsh Sandbanks MRCCW30000000008 2001 CCW/SOS Welsh sandbanks fish and epibenthos survey MRCCW30000000038 2004-01-31 NRW_DS110023 Sandbanks are listed as an Annex 1 habitat that requires conservation measures under the European Union Habitats Council of the European Communities (1992). Sandbanks can be categorised either by sediment type or by topography. The different sediments Annex I sandbanks can consist of are sands, gravelly sands and muddy sands. This study was designed to examine the fish and epifaunal biota of sandbanks and formed part of a larger collaborative survey in which the hyperbenthos and infauna were also sampled. As a result of their unique physical regime, sandbanks may hold their own distinct flora and fauna that is particularly well adapted to such conditions or that uses these habitats in an opportunistic manner (e.g. at slack water). However, the extent to which sandbanks are characterised by a distinct set of taxa remains unknown. Sandbanks are listed as an Annex 1 habitat that requires conservation measures under the European Union Habitats Council of the European Communities (1992). Sandbanks can be categorised either by sediment type or by topography. The different sediments Annex I sandbanks can consist of are sands, gravelly sands and muddy sands. This study was designed to examine the fish and epifaunal biota of sandbanks and formed part of a larger collaborative survey in which the hyperbenthos and infauna were also sampled. As a result of their unique physical regime, sandbanks may hold their own distinct flora and fauna that is particularly well adapted to such conditions or that uses these habitats in an opportunistic manner (e.g. at slack water). However, the extent to which sandbanks are characterised by a distinct set of taxa remains unknown. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en University of Wales, Bangor. School of Ocean Sciences Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG oss011@bangor.ac.uk http://www.bangor.ac.uk Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Habitats and biotopes Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme sandbanks sediment epifauna fish (fishes) (see also specific species) multivariate analysis Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) (see also Candidate Special Areas of Conservation cSAC) marine and freshwater inventory NRW Thesaurus 2025-01-08 geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords Shellfish morphology, age and physiology SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2024-06-19 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely. no limitations © CNC/NRW Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and copyright of the owners. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.y. English biota SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 benthic boundary layer Wales (WLS) -5.777741 -2.608865 51.240829 53.513067 2001-07-31 2001-08-31 Kaiser MJ. 2004. Sandbank survey: fish stomach content, fish epibenthic survey data analysis. Countryside Council for Wales Science Report No. 610. Bangor Sandbank survey : fish stomach content, fish epibenthic survey data analysis Documents [A] Report (MS Word) [B] Data in spreadsheet format (MS Excel) and on Marine Recorder (survey numbers MRCCW30000000008, MRCCW30000000037, MRCCW30000000038) [C] Video tape of the methods used 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 2010-12-08 This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation. false A total of 11 different sandbanks were chosen as potential seabed features that typically represent sandbank habitats as defined by the interpretation manual of European Habitats (EUR15/2) of which 10 were sampled in the present study (extensions of shallow coastal sediments adjacent to the coastline, distinct sandbanks that are distinct from the surrounding seabed features and sediments). Hyperbenthic, infaunal, epifaunal and fish samples were collected at each site from the RV Prince Madog (34.9 m l.o.a.). At each site, five replicate tows were made with a 2 m beam trawl fitted with a chain matrix and 1 cm square meshed net with a 1 mm codend liner. The 2 m beam trawl was towed at a speed of 1.5 to 2 knots for a standard duration of 5 minutes. At each site, sediment samples were taken using a Van Veen grab and immediately frozen on board. In the laboratory, particle size fractions, percentage organic matter and calcium carbonate were determined and the data catagorised into the following sediment fractions: mud, muddy sand, sand, silt, carbonates and organic matter. At three sites (Devil's Ridge, west of Newquay and Bastram Shoal) plaice Pleuronectes platessa were collected for the purpose of dietary analyses. A total of 11 different sandbanks were chosen as potential seabed features that typically represent sandbank habitats as defined by the interpretation manual of European Habitats (EUR15/2) of which 10 were sampled in the present study (extensions of shallow coastal sediments adjacent to the coastline, distinct sandbanks that are distinct from the surrounding seabed features and sediments). Hyperbenthic, infaunal, epifaunal and fish samples were collected at each site from the RV Prince Madog (34.9 m l.o.a.). At each site, five replicate tows were made with a 2 m beam trawl fitted with a chain matrix and 1 cm square meshed net with a 1 mm codend liner. The 2 m beam trawl was towed at a speed of 1.5 to 2 knots for a standard duration of 5 minutes. At each site, sediment samples were taken using a Van Veen grab and immediately frozen on board. In the laboratory, particle size fractions, percentage organic matter and calcium carbonate were determined and the data catagorised into the following sediment fractions: mud, muddy sand, sand, silt, carbonates and organic matter. At three sites (Devil's Ridge, west of Newquay and Bastram Shoal) plaice Pleuronectes platessa were collected for the purpose of dietary analyses.