2006 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Sunart marine features site condition monitoring survey

The principle purpose of this benthic survey in Loch Sunart SAC and SSSI was to design and initiate a hierarchical monitoring programme for the features of interest within the SSSI and SAC; subtidal and intertidal rocky reefs, Ascophyllum nodosum ecad mackaii (A.mac) beds, and seagrass beds. To achieve this, a combination of remote drop-down video, diver transects, intertidal transects, mapping methodologies, a limited grab survey and diver coring and quadrat sampling techniques were used. Sampling was conducted by Aquatic Survey and Monitoring Ltd. (ASML) for SNH between the 2nd and 20th July 2006 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present. The video and still photograph images were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages.