4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313135313233 English NRW_DS108873 Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en 2026-03-03T12:51:20.47Z NRW 1.0 wel British National Grid (EPSG::27700) Surveys of Potential Oystercatcher Prey, Pembrey Sands (2009) Surveys of Potential Oystercatcher Prey, Pembrey Sands (2009) Arolygon o ysglyfaeth posibl piod mor, Traeth Pen-bre, 2009 2009-10-26 NRW_DS115123 The Burry Inlet Special Protection Area (SPA) supports nationally and internationally important populations of wildfowl and waders. Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) are studying the food requirements of oystercatcher and knot, to develop monitoring targets and to assess the implications of shellfish fisheries on the bird populations. As part of that study, surveys of the cockle and mussel stocks in the Burry Inlet have been carried out every autumn since 2004, using a standard methodology. Significant populations of oystercatcher also feed in the Three Rivers and along Pembrey Sands and it is known that they are part of the same population that feed in the Burry Inlet SPA, but the information is limited. Data from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) on oystercatcher distribution along the Pembrey coast showed that they concentrate in the central section of the Sands and confirmed that they are feeding at low tide. It is known from previous survey work that the sediment fauna found along the Pembrey coast are likely to include a variety of shellfish (but not cockles and mussels), however data is limited. The purpose of this data capture was to provide data on the abundance and distribution of the potential prey species for the oystercatcher along the Pembrey Sands due to limited data availability. This data aimed to determine the potential prey of the oystercatcher in Pembrey Sands, examining the abundance and distribution of the sediment fauna. Previous findings showed that high numbers of the main prey species of the oyster catchers (cockles and mussels) were not found in the area. The Burry Inlet Special Protection Area (SPA) supports nationally and internationally important populations of wildfowl and waders. Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) are studying the food requirements of oystercatcher and knot, to develop monitoring targets and to assess the implications of shellfish fisheries on the bird populations. As part of that study, surveys of the cockle and mussel stocks in the Burry Inlet have been carried out every autumn since 2004, using a standard methodology. Significant populations of oystercatcher also feed in the Three Rivers and along Pembrey Sands and it is known that they are part of the same population that feed in the Burry Inlet SPA, but the information is limited. Data from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) on oystercatcher distribution along the Pembrey coast showed that they concentrate in the central section of the Sands and confirmed that they are feeding at low tide. It is known from previous survey work that the sediment fauna found along the Pembrey coast are likely to include a variety of shellfish (but not cockles and mussels), however data is limited. The purpose of this data capture was to provide data on the abundance and distribution of the potential prey species for the oystercatcher along the Pembrey Sands due to limited data availability. This data aimed to determine the potential prey of the oystercatcher in Pembrey Sands, examining the abundance and distribution of the sediment fauna. Previous findings showed that high numbers of the main prey species of the oyster catchers (cockles and mussels) were not found in the area. 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 Coastal Assessment Liaison and Monitoring (CALM) Ti Cara, Point Lane, Cosheston, Pembrokeshire, SA72 4UN, Wales jon@ticara.co.uk <!--No website --> Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme thin tellin haematopus ostralegus oystercatchers shellfish bird food bivalve molluscs lamellibranchia (pelecypoda) (bivalvia) angulus tenuis Pembrey birds of prey (raptors) (see also specific species) NRW Thesaurus 2025-01-08 geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords Zoobenthos taxonomy-related counts SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2024-06-19 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml There are no access restrictions to 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 NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose. 250 English biota SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 benthic boundary layer SIR GAERFYRDDIN - CARMARTHENSHIRE -4.3926 -4.2544 51.6527 51.7077 2009-09-01 2009-09-30 Documents [A] Raw data held in MS Excel and MapInfo [B] Summary statistics and calculations held in MS Excel [C] Report - MS Word 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 methodology for Pembrey Sands was adapted from that used for the cockle surveys in the Burry Inlet. A total of 97 stations with 250 m spacing were sampled from a grid of 161 stations, using a 0.1m2 quadrat / 2 mm mesh sieve. All sampled stations extended from the mid tide level to below the likely low tide level in Pembrey Sands. Bivalves that were retained in the sieve were identified, counted and their shell lengths were measured with vernier callipers. Additionally counts of polychaetes >2 cm body length were recorded, and tube dwelling and tubeless polychaetes were distinguished. Observations made by four surveyors (experience unknown). The methodology used has been applied to surveys in the Bury Inlet since 2004 and is astandard methodology (Moore, 2009). Further information can be found in the CCW report 'Surveys of potential oystercatcher prey Pembrey Sands 2009'. The methodology for Pembrey Sands was adapted from that used for the cockle surveys in the Burry Inlet. A total of 97 stations with 250 m spacing were sampled from a grid of 161 stations, using a 0.1m2 quadrat / 2 mm mesh sieve. All sampled stations extended from the mid tide level to below the likely low tide level in Pembrey Sands. Bivalves that were retained in the sieve were identified, counted and their shell lengths were measured with vernier callipers. Additionally counts of polychaetes >2 cm body length were recorded, and tube dwelling and tubeless polychaetes were distinguished. Observations made by four surveyors (experience unknown). The methodology used has been applied to surveys in the Bury Inlet since 2004 and is astandard methodology (Moore, 2009). Further information can be found in the CCW report 'Surveys of potential oystercatcher prey Pembrey Sands 2009'.