2015 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Laxford marine sedimentary and rocky reefs Site Condition Monitoring survey

Site Condition Monitoring (SCM) was inaugurated in the Loch Laxford SAC in 2009. In 2015, a subset of survey sites were selected to represent good geographical coverage of the SAC from the baseline monitoring sites that were established and examined in 2009. The aim of this study was to (1) identify any deterioration in the condition of the protected marine features 'large shallow inlets and bays' and 'reefs', and (2) to form a judgement on their current condition. This work consisted of a drop down video drift survey at 70 sites and a detailed reef and mixed reef/sediment habitat survey along 3 relocatable transects. A maerl bed dive transect survey was carried out at the same 3 maerl bed sites examined in the baseline survey. This survey was opportunistic, representing a contingency plan to utilize poor weather conditions on a scheduled cruise, hence the reduced scope of the survey to examine a subset of the baseline monitoring sites established in 2009. Survey work was carried out from the vessel MV Halton.