Intertidal Monitoring of Sabellaria reef in Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation (SAC) 2010

The Habitats Directive establishes that the management of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) should aim to achieve the favourable conservation status of habitat and species features listed within its Annex I and Annex II. For SACs in Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) is therefore required to report on a regular basis on whether features are in favourable conservation status. Honeycomb reef worm Sabellaria alveolata is a sedentary, tube-dwelling polychaete most commonly found on rocky substrata in the lower shore and shallow subtidal zones of marine and estuarine areas. The honeycomb reef worm is a UK BAP Priority Habitat (BAP habitats are now Habitats of Principal Importance/Priority Habitats). Honeycomb worms build tubes from sand and shell fragments. They are found on the lower part of rocky seashores but they also need a sand supply for tube-building. They are found on the lower part of rocky seashores but they also need a sand supply for tube-building. Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau SAC is designated for five Annex 1 habitats and four subsidiary ones. Of these, Estuaries and their constituent mudflats, sandflats and reefs, large shallow inlets and bays with intertidal Zostera beds, populations of the shingle-dwelling amphipod Pectenogammarus, piddocks in clay and lower shore boulder communities and Reefs, particularly biogenic reefs of Sabellaria alveolata are the main habitats of interest within the intertidal areas of the SAC. The purpose of this data capture was to monitoring the extent of Sabellaria alveolata reefs. Field work was carried out during five days of spring tides, 6th to 10th July 2009. Data quality and confidence considered high as all surveys were completed by professional and experienced marine field surveyors.

Identification

Identifier
NRW_DS114458
Alternative Title
  • 2010 CCW / ASML Pen Llyn A'r Sarnau SAC Sabellaria monitoring (MRCCW1630000002E)
Metadata Language
English
Lineage

Two areas of Sabellaria reef were re-surveyed in 2010, having been surveyed by ASML in 2009: Llandanwg and West of Afon Dwyfor. At each quadrat station, surveyors established an origin at the centre of an imaginary 10 m x 10 m grid (i.e. at location (5 m, 5 m)) and then the surveyors proceeded to survey the initial 5 random quadrats in detail. At each transect location, surveyors walked down the transect using the GPS and made notes on habitat, community and condition / age of the Sabellaria reef. Condition of Sabellaria reef was recorded using a defined 7 point scale. The age of the Sabellaria reef was recorded using a defined 4 point scale. GPS fixes were taken along the transect to mark changes in Sabellaria reef condition and to mark the top and bottom of the transect (often the water line). Photographs were taken to illustrate habitat and condition of the Sabellaria reef. A survey by ASML was also undertaken in 2009.
Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
2010-07-31

Temporal Extent

Begin date
2009-07-06
End date
2009-07-10
 
Topic category
  • Biota
Owner
  Natural Resources Wales (NRW) -
Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en
Originator
  Aquatic Survey and Monitoring Ltd (ASML) -
Whitfield Brow, Bollihope, Frosterley, Weardale, Co. Durham, DL13 2SZ, England
http://www.marineseen.com/aquatic_survey_and_monitoring.htm
 

Extent

Extent

Geographic Extent
Wales (WLS)
N
W
E
S
Map representing the geographic extent of the dataset


 

Vertical Extent

Medin Extent Keyword

benthic boundary layer
 
 

Distribution

Format Type and Description
  • Database ( Marine Recorder Online - Version 2.09.02 )

    Specification

    Marine Recorder

 

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

Two areas of Sabellaria reef were re-surveyed in 2010, having been surveyed by ASML in 2009: Llandanwg and West of Afon Dwyfor. At each quadrat station, surveyors established an origin at the centre of an imaginary 10 m x 10 m grid (i.e. at location (5 m, 5 m)) and then the surveyors proceeded to survey the initial 5 random quadrats in detail. At each transect location, surveyors walked down the transect using the GPS and made notes on habitat, community and condition / age of the Sabellaria reef. Condition of Sabellaria reef was recorded using a defined 7 point scale. The age of the Sabellaria reef was recorded using a defined 4 point scale. GPS fixes were taken along the transect to mark changes in Sabellaria reef condition and to mark the top and bottom of the transect (often the water line). Photographs were taken to illustrate habitat and condition of the Sabellaria reef. A survey by ASML was also undertaken in 2009.
 

Keywords

Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2008-06-01
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme

Keywords

NRW Thesaurus
  • Sabellaria reef detail
  • Marine Recorder
  • Sabellaria reef wide scale
  • Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau SAC
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2026-10-19
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords

Keywords

SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2024-06-19
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml
 

Spatial Reference System

Code
British National Grid (EPSG::27700)
 

Content

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

NRW Related Title

Across Wales intertidal SAC monitoring Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau SAC July 2010
NRW Related Title

Across Wales intertidal SAC monitoring Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau SAC July 2009
NRW Related Title

Across Wales intertidal SAC monitoring Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau SAC : August 2008
 

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 Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.
 

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
4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313134343538 XML
Metadata Language
English
Parent Identifier
Across Wales Intertidal Monitoring Survey

NRW_DS109834
Resource type
Dataset
Metadata Date
2026-10-20T12:13:02.784Z
Metadata Standard Name
NRW
Metadata Standard Version

1.0

pointOfContact
  Natural Resources Wales (NRW) -
Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en
 
 

Publishing Body

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