4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313631343136 English NRW_DS109834 Natural Resources Wales Maes y Ffynnon Bangor LL57 2DW Wales opendata@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk 2026-03-05T15:38:42.669Z NRW 1.0 wel British National Grid (EPSG:27700) NRW Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries SAC sediments survey 2023 NRW Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries SAC sediments survey 2023 Arolwg gwaddodion ACA Bae a Morydau Caerfyrddin 2023 CNC 2023 NRW Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries SAC sediment monitoring [43cadc21-0e19-4f03-a658-6ca40d5b310b] 2024-08-30 2025-10-11 NRW_DS161416 In Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries SAC the Annex I intertidal habitat features include: Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide. A series of 23 sediment monitoring locations, distributed around the SAC to represent different areas and habitats, were established between 2005 and 2008. Most locations were initially defined as transects (a line from upper to lower shore) but many have been redefined as clusters of stations (areas of shore). Between 1 and 6 sampling stations have been established (with fixed positions) within each of those locations, though some have required repositioning due to channel movements. These stations have been monitored using a combination of in-situ recording and sediment core sampling with laboratory analysis of infaunal composition and sediment granulometry. Some stations (those at Crofty and Llansteffan) are surveyed and sampled annually, others at intervals of 2 or more years. This description refered to data collected in 2023. In Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries SAC the Annex I intertidal habitat features include: Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide. A series of 23 sediment monitoring locations, distributed around the SAC to represent different areas and habitats, were established between 2005 and 2008. Most locations were initially defined as transects (a line from upper to lower shore) but many have been redefined as clusters of stations (areas of shore). Between 1 and 6 sampling stations have been established (with fixed positions) within each of those locations, though some have required repositioning due to channel movements. These stations have been monitored using a combination of in-situ recording and sediment core sampling with laboratory analysis of infaunal composition and sediment granulometry. Some stations (those at Crofty and Llansteffan) are surveyed and sampled annually, others at intervals of 2 or more years. This description refered to data collected in 2023. 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 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 Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme Macroalgae and seagrass taxonomy-related counts Zoobenthos generic abundance Seabed photography Habitat characterisation SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2024-06-19 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml Intertidal monitoring Infauna core sampling intertidal Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries SAC NRW Thesaurus 2026-03-04 geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely. noLimitations © 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. Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Open Government Licence English biota -4.7166 -4.0652 51.5182 51.8723 http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/C19/current/UKMDN012/ SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2013-02-05 creation littoral 2023-10-16 2023-10-17 The data will be available through MEDIN Data Archive Centre and the NBN Atlas once automatic flow from MRO Is established Database MRO version 2.07.03 Marine Recorder Online Documents Digital versions of the contract report: Microsoft Word document(s); and an equivalent Adobe Portable Document Format version in prep Delimited Excel spreadsheets with species data from infaunal analysis. Geographic Information System GIS layer of station positions Image Photographs of the station, core and selected species 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 Two survey methodologies are undertaken : 1) In-situ survey of conspicuous epibiota and their abundance (various data types depending on species) visible on the sediment surface (area within 5m radius from GPS located station coordinates), plus in-situ characterisation of sediment habitat. Photographs taken of the habitat and representative core samples at each station. 2) Five x 0.01m2 core samples sieved and preserved in formalin for infaunal analysis, plus a sample of sediment taken for granulometry analysis. Samples (macrofauna and sediments) analysed by Hull Marine Lab. Data collated and used to assign biotopes to each station. The pupose of this data collection is to support long-term monitoring to maintain a baseline of data that can be used for regular assessment of condition of the SAC, to study any changes over time, and to understand the scale of natural temporal fluctuations in those communities and species. All surveys completed by professional and experienced marine field surveyors. Data quality and confidence considered moderate to high. Two survey methodologies are undertaken : 1) In-situ survey of conspicuous epibiota and their abundance (various data types depending on species) visible on the sediment surface (area within 5m radius from GPS located station coordinates), plus in-situ characterisation of sediment habitat. Photographs taken of the habitat and representative core samples at each station. 2) Five x 0.01m2 core samples sieved and preserved in formalin for infaunal analysis, plus a sample of sediment taken for granulometry analysis. Samples (macrofauna and sediments) analysed by Hull Marine Lab. Data collated and used to assign biotopes to each station. The pupose of this data collection is to support long-term monitoring to maintain a baseline of data that can be used for regular assessment of condition of the SAC, to study any changes over time, and to understand the scale of natural temporal fluctuations in those communities and species. All surveys completed by professional and experienced marine field surveyors. Data quality and confidence considered moderate to high.