4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313130313430 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 2026-03-03T12:40:39.661Z NRW 1.0 wel Latitude and Longitude (EPSG::4326) Assessment of Sublittoral Epibenthic Rock Communities and Species Following the Sea Empress Oil Spill Assessment of Sublittoral Epibenthic Rock Communities and Species Following the Sea Empress Oil Spill Asesiad o gymunedau a rhywogaethau creigiau epibenthig isarforol yn dilyn gollyngiad olew'r Sea Empress CCW Pembrokeshire 'Sea Empress' sublittoral rock survey 1997 JNCCMNCR40000777 1997-06-30 NRW_DS110140 The Sea Empress oil spill in February 1996 affected the water column, seabed and shores of south Pembrokeshire. Several rocky subtidal sites in and around the entrance to Milford Haven were studied at the time of the spill. This datasets is made up of the results obtained during a subtidal survey of South Pembrokeshire 16 months after the Sea Empress oil spill. The survey aimed to examine the open coast of South Pembrokeshire sites close the entrances of Milford Haven, as far eastwards as Caldey Island. The objective of this work was to revisit previously surveyed bedrock areas which may be have been subjected to elevated water column hydrocarbon load in order to investigate their community diversity, richness and condition. The Sea Empress oil spill in February 1996 affected the water column, seabed and shores of south Pembrokeshire. Several rocky subtidal sites in and around the entrance to Milford Haven were studied at the time of the spill. This datasets is made up of the results obtained during a subtidal survey of South Pembrokeshire 16 months after the Sea Empress oil spill. The survey aimed to examine the open coast of South Pembrokeshire sites close the entrances of Milford Haven, as far eastwards as Caldey Island. The objective of this work was to revisit previously surveyed bedrock areas which may be have been subjected to elevated water column hydrocarbon load in order to investigate their community diversity, richness and condition. 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 Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) Countryside Council for Wales, Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresourceswales.gov.uk/splash?orig=/ Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Species distribution Habitats and biotopes GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme bleaching algae Sea Empress South Pembrokeshire oil pollution community richness pollution (see also specific types of pollution eg. oil pollution) community condition community diversity marine surveys (intertidal & subtidal surveys) (littoral survey) (sublittoral surveys) (bathymetric survey) (see also marine monitoring and MNCR) Pembrokeshire (county pre 1974)( county since 4/96) hydrocarbons bedrock Milford Haven marine and freshwater inventory sublittoral epibenthic species rock communities underwater photography Caldy (Caldey) NRW Thesaurus 2025-01-08 geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords Zoobenthos taxonomic abundance Zoobenthos generic abundance Habitat characterisation SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2024-06-19 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml Oil spillage IPSV Subjects List 2020-11-18 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.subjects There are no access restrictions to this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely. no limitations © CNC/NRW 1997 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. Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Open Government Licence English biota Wales (WLS) -5.2035394 -4.67066266 51.57325465 51.73479904 SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2013-02-05 creation circalittoral 1997-05-31 1997-06-15 Rostron, D.M. and Bunker, F.St.P.D (1997). An Assessment of Sublittoral Epibenthic Rock Communities & Species following the Sea Empress Oil Spill. A report to the Countryside Council for Wales from Marine Seen & Sub-Sea Survey. An assessment of sublittoral epibenthic rock communities and species following the Sea Empress oil spill Documents [A] Report (MS Word and PDF-format) Database Marine Recorder [B] Survey results contained in JNCCs copy of Marine Recorder (survey number JNCCMNCR40000777) 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 The sites were investigated using diving techniques and the following tasks were carried out: - Site and Habitat Descriptions using standard Phase 2 Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) survey techniques. Diving was carried out using standard SCUBA apparatus. - Photography of biotopes and close up photographs of selected species. Underwater photography was achieved using land cameras in underwater housings and a purpose built submersible Nikonos camera. - Recording of observations which maybe oil pollution related including observations on the presence and abundance of small mobile custacea. Careful observations were made, looking for contamination in any sediments or on rocky surfaces, noting the health of the communities, any signs which may be related to oil pollution e.g. bleaching of algae, dead bivalves and other animals and conspicuous absence of species from the communities. - Collection samples of the mussel, Mytilus edulis, at sites where it was encountered for hydrocarbon analysis. Collections of specimens including algae were made at each site. Where Mytilus edulis was encountered, samples were taken and frozen the same day. These samples were passed on to CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) in Burnham-on-Crouch for total hydrocarbon analysis. When diving in the region of the Milford Haven waterway, the Castlemartin Range and the Manorbier Artillery Range, liaison with the appropriate authorities was undertaken prior to diving. The sites were investigated using diving techniques and the following tasks were carried out: - Site and Habitat Descriptions using standard Phase 2 Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) survey techniques. Diving was carried out using standard SCUBA apparatus. - Photography of biotopes and close up photographs of selected species. Underwater photography was achieved using land cameras in underwater housings and a purpose built submersible Nikonos camera. - Recording of observations which maybe oil pollution related including observations on the presence and abundance of small mobile custacea. Careful observations were made, looking for contamination in any sediments or on rocky surfaces, noting the health of the communities, any signs which may be related to oil pollution e.g. bleaching of algae, dead bivalves and other animals and conspicuous absence of species from the communities. - Collection samples of the mussel, Mytilus edulis, at sites where it was encountered for hydrocarbon analysis. Collections of specimens including algae were made at each site. Where Mytilus edulis was encountered, samples were taken and frozen the same day. These samples were passed on to CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) in Burnham-on-Crouch for total hydrocarbon analysis. When diving in the region of the Milford Haven waterway, the Castlemartin Range and the Manorbier Artillery Range, liaison with the appropriate authorities was undertaken prior to diving.