Sensitivity and mapping of inshore marine biotopes in the southern Irish Sea (SensMap): Final report

The SensMap project, funded under the INTERREG programme involved survey and mapping of biotopes in the marine intertidal and subtidal in both Wales and Ireland. The project partners were the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and Ecological Consultancy Services Ltd (EcoServe) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in Ireland now Duchas, the Heritage Service. This project had three main objectives: 1. To develop an integrated methodology for mapping in the marine intertidal and subtidal which can link both marine and terrestrial maps. 2. To develop a protocol for determining the sensitivity of marine biotopes according to the sensitivity of marine species to a range of natural and man-induced changes including, changes to water quality, oil pollution, fishing and recreational activities, and in the longer term, climate change. 3. To develop a model for a decision-making support system based on sensitivity mapping.

Identification

Identifier
NRW_DS87182
Metadata Language
English
Lineage

Marine Intertidal Phase 1 biotope mapping was developed by the former Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and partners over the last four years and this methodology was reassessed, adapted and transferred to Ireland through collaborative fieldwork (Emblow et al., 1998; SensMap Handbook for Marine Intertidal Phase 1 Survey and Mapping). For intertidal mapping Ordnance Survey National Grid basemaps are used whereas for subtidal, information is mapped on to Hydrographic Office Admiralty Charts. Intertidal survey is more detailed and information is gathered at a higher resolution than broadscale subtidal or terrestrial Phase 1 mapping techniques. This is because the intertidal is logistically easier to access than the subtidal benthos. Conversely, because it is more difficult to access intertidal than terrestrial habitats, greater detail is recorded in intertidal Phase 1 compared with the terrestrial equivalent to make best use of time spent in a single visit. Marine intertidal biotope mapping is based on the use of aerial photographs and/or Ordnance Survey maps to map the distribution and extent of Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) biotopes (Connor et al., 1997a and b).
Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
2000-12-31
Owner
  Natural Resources Wales (NRW) -
Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en
Originator
  North Western And North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee = Pwllgor Pysgodfeydd Mor Gogledd Orllewin Lloegr a Gogledd Cymru -
1 Preston Street, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA5 9BY, England
http://www.nwnwsfc.org/
Originator
  Ecological Consultancy Services Ltd (EcoServe) -
B23 KCR Industrial Estate, Kimmage, Dublin, Ireland
http://www.ecoserve.ie/
Originator
  Duchas, the Heritage Services -
c/o Dept. Of The Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Room G50, Custom House., 10-18 Adelaide Street, Dublin, BT2 8GB, Ireland
http://www.environ.ie/en/
 

Extent

Extent

Geographic Extent
Northern Ireland (NIR)
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
  • Geographic Information System ( )

    Specification

    [A] Spatial data is held as Tab Files [B] Figures for the report are held as .pdf documents [C] Copy of the report in .pdf. and split into Sensmap1-overview, Sensmap2- intertidal, sensmap3-subtidal and sensmap4- sensitivity.

 

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

Marine Intertidal Phase 1 biotope mapping was developed by the former Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and partners over the last four years and this methodology was reassessed, adapted and transferred to Ireland through collaborative fieldwork (Emblow et al., 1998; SensMap Handbook for Marine Intertidal Phase 1 Survey and Mapping). For intertidal mapping Ordnance Survey National Grid basemaps are used whereas for subtidal, information is mapped on to Hydrographic Office Admiralty Charts. Intertidal survey is more detailed and information is gathered at a higher resolution than broadscale subtidal or terrestrial Phase 1 mapping techniques. This is because the intertidal is logistically easier to access than the subtidal benthos. Conversely, because it is more difficult to access intertidal than terrestrial habitats, greater detail is recorded in intertidal Phase 1 compared with the terrestrial equivalent to make best use of time spent in a single visit. Marine intertidal biotope mapping is based on the use of aerial photographs and/or Ordnance Survey maps to map the distribution and extent of Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) biotopes (Connor et al., 1997a and b).
 

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
  • marine species
  • coastal survey (coastal monitoring)
  • marine biology (subtidal biology) (littoral biology) (sublittoral biology)(intertidal biology)(see also seashore)
  • coastal management
  • marine conservation (see also specific geographical areas or sites eg Skomer-marine protected areas,marine nature reserves)
  • coastal ecology
  • biotope sensitivity database
  • Irish Sea
  • SensMap
  • marine research
  • coast (coasts) (coastal) (coastline) (maritime)
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2025-01-08
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

CCW handbook for marine intertidal phase 1 survey and mapping
NRW Related Title

Sensitivity and mapping of inshore marine biotopes in the southern Irish Sea (SensMap) : final report
NRW Related Title

SensMap atlas : sensitivity and mapping of inshore marine biotopes in the southern Irish Sea
NRW Related Title

SensMap atlas : sensitivity and mapping of inshore marine biotopes in the southern Irish Sea : Ceredigion
NRW Related Title

SensMap atlas : sensitivity and mapping of inshore marine biotopes in the southern Irish Sea : Gwynedd
NRW Related Title

SensMap atlas : sensitivity and mapping of inshore marine biotopes in the southern Irish Sea : Pembrokeshire
NRW Related Title

SensMap atlas : sensitivity and mapping of inshore marine biotopes in the southern Irish Sea : Ynys Mon
 

Constraints

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Restriction type
Other restrictions
 

Access Constraints Directive

Limitations
no limitations
 

Access Constraints Text

Other constraints

The following data is considered OS derived data and is therefore jointly owned by CCW and the Ordnance Survey. CCW may release, publish or disseminate this data freely; providing recipients are made aware of use restrictions (See general use restrictions).
 

Use Constraints

Use constraints type
Other restrictions
Other constraints

© CCGC/CCW and © Crown copyright All rights reserved. Countryside Council for Wales, AC0000849444. Third parties seeking to re-use this data require a Licence issued by CCW. It allows re-use, reproduction and dissemination in any format or medium but only for non-commercial purposes, according to the terms and conditions of the Licence. Those seeking commercial re-use require a commercial licence available from the OS.
 
 
 

Metadata

Metadata

File Identifier
4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-3837313832 XML
Metadata Language
English
Resource type
Dataset
Metadata Date
2026-03-03T11:17:18.616Z
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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