Skomer Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) - Marine Monitoring Programme Overview
In 2015 Skomer Marine Nature Reserve (MNR) changed designation to Skomer Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). Skomer Marine Nature Reserve (MNR) was designated in 1990.
The Skomer Marine Monitoring Team has focused on developing a range of projects to monitor the health of the reserve and investigate the relevant aspects of the species life histories for baseline information. Large scale surveys developed in the 1970's and 1980's provided the foundation for the monitoring.
This metadata details general monitoring on Skomer, each datasets has its own metadata entry. Monitoring is undertaken to provide an assessment of the condition of features against set targets and will contribute to reporting on the MNR as well as Pembrokeshire Marine Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) within which the reserve lies. Data is collected around Skomer Island and on the mainland between Musselwick Sands and Gateholm Island within the Marine Nature Reserve. Data has been collected from 1975 onwards. An extensive review of images has been completed to determine the quantity and quality of information that could be extracted from these images. Species data has been collated from a number of surveys entered into Marine Recorder which have been packaged for dissemination onto the NBN Gateway.
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS110059
- Alternative Title
-
- 2007 CCW / Marineseen Skomer Marine Nature Reserve sponge monitoring survey (MRCCW16600000002)
- 2011 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Sponge Survey (MRCCW30900000005)
- 2015 NRW Skomer Marine Conservation Zone Sponge Survey (MRCCW30000000096)
- 2005 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve subtidal algal assemblages (MRCCW16800000008)
- 1992 - 2011 CCW Skomer Maine Nature Reserve Rock Monitoring Sites (MRCCW30000000066)
- 2001 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Sediment surface epifauna community survey (MRCCW16800000009)
- 2004 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve sediment surface and burrowing macro & mega-fauna Survey (MRCCW30900000004)
- 2009 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Sublittoral Macrobenthos Survey (MRCCW3000000005F)
- 2003 CCW Skomer Nature Marine Reserve Sublittoral Macrobenthos survey (MRCCW30900000002)
- 2007 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Sublittoral Macrobenthos survey (MRCCW30900000003)
- 2013 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Sublittoral Macrobenthos Survey (MRCCW300000000A6)
- 2016 NRW Skomer Marine Conservation Zone Sublittoral Macrobenthos Survey (MRCCW300000000A8)
- 2005 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Territorial fish species monitoring (MRCCW16800000002)
- 2013 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Territorial fish species monitoring (MRCCW300000000A0)
- 2009 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Territorial fish Survey (MRCCW300000000A1)
- 1994 - 2005 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Condition monitoring of Eunicella verrucosa (MRCCW16800000004)
- 2003 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Echinus esculentus and other echinoderm species survey (MRCCW16800000005)
- 2007 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Echinus esculentus and selected starfish species survey (MRCCW30000000057)
- 2011 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Echinus esculentus and selected starfish species survey (MRCCW3000000009E)
- 2015 NRW Skomer Marine Conservation Zone Echinus esculentus and other starfish species survey (MRCCW3000000009F)
- 2002 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Nudibranch survey (MRCCW30000000052)
- 2006 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Nudibranch Survey (MRCCW30000000055)
- 2010 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Nudibranch Survey (MRCCW3000000005C)
- 2014 NRW Skomer Marine Conservation Zone Nudibranch Survey (MRCCW30000000095)
- 2018 NRW Skomer MCZ Nudibranch Species Survey (MRCCW300000000AB)
- 2005 CCW Skomer Marine Nature Reserve Bryozoan Records (MRCCW30000000056)
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
-
The first step of the programme was to map survey sites to enable accurate relocation each year. New sites continue to be mapped to allow for the expansion of the projects. The sites cover a wide variety of habitats and species from inter-tidal lichens, benthic rock and sediment, mobile species (e.g. seals and territorial fish) and plankton, and therefore a variety of monitoring techniques are used. Following on from the site mapping, time series data is collected. The majority of the monitoring involves human observation and the development of a series of reliable photographic images. Sediment communities are sampled by Day grab and suction sampler. The data collected provides information and details of the life histories of particular species over time, the stability of communities, the variations in species abundance and the effect of known events (e.g. the Sea Empress Oil Spill) on species or communities. In addition to biotic data, environmental data is also collected to allow the reasons for fluctuation in biota to be investigated with the aim of separating 'natural' change from anthropogenic change. Finally commercial and recreational activities are recorded to monitor changes in user activity."
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the different monitoring programmes are to be created and stored in the NRW Document Management System (DMS)
- Additional Information
-
Please refer to individual metadata entries for more information. An annual project status report is also published. For an example see Lock, K, Burton, M, Jones, J, Massey, A. (2023) Skomer Marine Conservation Zone, Annual Report 2022. NRW Evidence Report 657.
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 2016-08-17
Temporal Extent
- Begin date
- 1975-01-01
- End date
- 2013-12-31
- Topic category
-
- Biota
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- Irish Sea
- Geographic Extent
- St. Brides Bay
- Geographic Extent
- SIR BENFRO - PEMBROKESHIRE
))
Vertical Extent
- Medin Extent Keyword
-
benthic boundary layer
Vertical Extent
- Minimum value (metres)
- 10
- Maximum value (metres)
- 30
- Vertical CRS
Distribution
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
-
-
Database
(
Marine Recorder Online - Version 2.09.02
)
- Specification
-
Marine Recorder
-
Database
(
Marine Recorder Online - Version 2.09.02
)
- Resource Locator
- View and Download Data ( WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link )
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
-
The first step of the programme was to map survey sites to enable accurate relocation each year. New sites continue to be mapped to allow for the expansion of the projects. The sites cover a wide variety of habitats and species from inter-tidal lichens, benthic rock and sediment, mobile species (e.g. seals and territorial fish) and plankton, and therefore a variety of monitoring techniques are used. Following on from the site mapping, time series data is collected. The majority of the monitoring involves human observation and the development of a series of reliable photographic images. Sediment communities are sampled by Day grab and suction sampler. The data collected provides information and details of the life histories of particular species over time, the stability of communities, the variations in species abundance and the effect of known events (e.g. the Sea Empress Oil Spill) on species or communities. In addition to biotic data, environmental data is also collected to allow the reasons for fluctuation in biota to be investigated with the aim of separating 'natural' change from anthropogenic change. Finally commercial and recreational activities are recorded to monitor changes in user activity."
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the different monitoring programmes are to be created and stored in the NRW Document Management System (DMS)
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
-
NRW Thesaurus
-
- Skomer MNR
- NBN Atlas
- Marine Recorder
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2026-10-19
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2024-06-19
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
-
Part of this dataset is sensitive and restricted. See individual metadata entries for specific datasets that have a restricted release. Sensitive data must be kept confidential; general release is not permitted due to risk of harm to the environment or third parties. Sensitive data may only be released under an appropriate NRW Licence. Requests should be referred to NRW's Access to Information Officer. Data may be released freely if the sensitive records are removed in advance, or shown only at a coarser scale.
Use Constraints
- Use constraints type
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
-
© CNC/NRW 2013. Recipients may only re-use sensitive data in strict confidence under the terms of an appropriate NRW Licence. No publication or dissemination is permitted, except if sensitive records are removed in advance, or shown only at a coarser scale. Non senstive data and published data on the NBN Atlas is released under and OGL.
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
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313130303539 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2026-10-27T10:47:02.62Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
-
1.0