An Camus, Lochboisdale, South UistBASELINE VIDEO SURVEY REPORT

2016

Contents

1.0 Video Survey Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 3

2.0 Appendix 1. Species identified and stills extracted from raw video footage .................................. 5

1.0 Video Survey Analysis

The footage for each transect shown in Figure 1 has been viewed and still images extracted of eachspecies found.

Figure 1: Proposed and recorded video survey transects

Each species has then been identified or possible identification suggested, and frequency estimatedusing two separate abundance scales, both of which address different aspects of species occurrence .

The frequency estimate recorded is based upon a variant of the Marine Scotland Science ROCAabundance scale, combining aspects of the Marine Nature Conservation Review abundance scale. The

abundance classification used is defined below:

Table 1: Frequency scale

X Rare < 5 in 10 minutes

XX Occasional < 25 and >5 in 10 minutes

XXX Common Every few minutes

XXXX Abundant Almost all frames or multiples within some frames

XXXXX Super Abundant All frames and multiples within some or all frames

The second abundance scale utilised is the JNCC SACFOR scale which focuses more on an overalloccurrence within an area, and more commonly is utilised during quadrat sampling of habitats with

encrusting epifauna or high density communities. However it can be applied to video footage byestimating the likely density of organisms within the area.

Rather than just assessing the number of organisms to determine frequency, abundance within this

format is also dependent on the size of the individuals and colonies assessed. As such there can besome discrepancy between the scales. This is particularly noticeable for occasional and rare species

which can change abundance classification under the SACFOR scale based upon the organisms’

average sizing.

This information has been provided in Plates a, b & c in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2.

The surveyed seabed consists of a couple of separate biotope types; coarse shelly sand for the majorityof the surveyed area, classified as circalittoral coarse sediment ( SS.SCS.CCS), with exceptions at the

start of T2 which can be identified as CR.MCR.EcCr.CarSwi and the end of T3, where the transectshallows out into the infralittoral zone; which for the purpose of this survey is considered shoreline

and out with plausible effect from the proposal, which requires deeper water to operate.

Of these the first and most common biotope type is considered of low diversity importance and is notconsidered to be at risk from significant impacts from aquaculture. The other biotope types may be

classified as a PMF, details of which are outlined in the following section.

Priority Marine Feature – Species

The video analysis did not identify any species classified as priority marine features in their own right.

Priority Marine Feature - Habitats

As stated the seabed consists mainly of circalittoral coarse sediment ( SS.SCS.CCS), however thereare areas possibly identifiable as habitat priority marine feature ( PMF) - Northern sea fan and sponge

communities: Caryophyllia smithii and Swiftia pallida on circalittoral rock ( CR.MCR.EcCr.CarSwi) based upon the presence of the Northern Sea Fan ( Swiftia pallida) and Devonshire Cup Coral

Caryophyllia smithii).

The area in which this PMF habitat occurs is limited to an area of shallowing at the narrows to thenorth of the site. Due to depth the site will by necessity not be located directly upon these features,

furthermore it is expected that due to this bathometry and the tidal nature of the site, there should be ahigh tolerance to input from aquaculture. The features themselves appear to be patchy with little

consistency in overall quality, as such it they are considered to be an average example of this habitat

type, not exceptional.

In conclusion the video survey identified two biotope types within the area which could be affected by

the proposal, while one of which was Priority Marine Feature habitat CR.MCR.EcCr.CarSwi it formed aminority of the surveyed area. As the major occurring biotope type circalittoral coarse sediment is

considered to be wide spread and of little ecological significance and the identified PMF features are atthe periphery of the proposed area and of average quality it is considered likely that there will be no

significant risk to the integrity of habitat diversity within this area as a result of an aquaculture site.

2.0 Appendix 1. Species identified and stills extracted from raw video footage

Plate a. Species Identified on the Seabed: An Camus - Transect 1

Transect 1

Transect start: 82222 817562

08:48:00

Transect end: 82777 817308

09:11:52

Orientation: NW to SE

Video duration: 23:52

Common Name Latin Name Status Screen shot Time Frame Co-ordinateVideo

FrequencySACFOR

JNCC Scale

Great Scallop Pecten maximus No Special Status 08:50:11 02:11 82250 817532X

Rare

Rare1/ 1000m2

15 cm

Edible Sea Urchin Echinus esculentus IUCN Red List - Near Threatened08:50:4208:58:15

02:4210:15

82259 81753782451 817455

XRare

Rare1/ 1000m2

15 cm

Seven- Armed Starfish Luidia ciliaris No Special Status 09:02:39 14:39 82551 817405X

Rare

Rare

1/ 1000m215 cm

Common Starfish Asterias rubens No Special Status09:03:5109:04:54

15:5116:54

82574 81739082601 817376

XRare

Rare1/ 1000m2

15 cm

Curled Octopus Eledone cirrhosa No Special Status 09:10:47 22:47 82750 817325X

Rare

Rare1/ 1000m2

15 cm

Hermit Crab Pagurus bernhardus No Special Status 08:53:32 05:32 82333 817505X

Rare

Rare1/ 1000m23 - 15 cm

Brittlestar Ophiura ophiura No Special Status 08:57:06 09:06 82420 817471X

Rare

Rare

1/ 1000m23 - 15 cm

Tube Anemone Cerianthus lloydii No Special Status 09:00:11 12:11 82496 817435X

Rare

Rare

1-9/ 1000m21 - 3 cm

Plate b. Species Identified on the Seabed: An Camus - Transect 2

Transect 2

Transect start:

82403 81737109:57:00

Transect end:

82500 81758610:08:53

Orientation:

NE to SW

Video duration:

11:53

Common Name Latin Name Status Screen shot Time Frame Co-ordinateVideo

Frequency

SACFOR

JNCC Scale

Edible Sea Urchin Echinus esculentus IUCN Red List - Near Threatened09:57:0910:06:27

00:0909:27

82404 81737482479 8175453

XXOccasional

Occasional1-9/ 1000m2

15 cm

Cuckoo Wrasse Labrus mixtus IUCN Red List09:57:1810:07:08

00:1810:08

82404 81737782487 817558

XRare

Rare1/ 1000m2

3 - 15 cm

Great Scallop Pecten maximus No Special Status09:57:4310:04:24

00:4307:24

82407 81738682466 817512

XRare

Rare1/ 1000m2

15 cm

Northern Sea Fan Swiftia pallidaUK BAP Priority

PMF Component Species

09:58:33

09:58:47

01:33

01:47

82418 817403

82421 817411

XXXXPatchy

Abundant

Occasional5-9% cover

1- 9/ m2Meadow

Common Dragonet Callionymus lyra No Special Status09:59:1010:00:30

02:1003:30

82422 81742182432 817447

XRare

Rare1/ 1000m2

15 cm

Tube Anemone Cerianthus lloydii No Special Status10:01:5610:03:30

04:5606:30

82442 81747082458 817497

XRare

Rare1-9/ 1000m2

1 - 3 cm

Brittlestar Ophiura ophiura No Special Status 10:03:28 06:28 82458 817497X

Rare

Rare1/ 1000m2

3 - 15 cm

Sponge Halichondria panicea No Special Status10:29:06

10:29:46

09:06

09:46

82477 817537

82481 817550

XX

Occasional

Rare1% cover

1-9/ 100m2Massive

Seven- Armed Starfish Luidia ciliaris No Special Status 10:06:08 09:08 82477 817537X

Rare

Rare

1/ 1000m215 cm

Spiny Starfish Marthasterias glacialis No Special Status 10:06:34 09:34 82479 817547X

Rare

Rare

1/ 1000m215 cm

Common Starfish Asterias rubens No Special Status 10:07:17 10:17 82488 817561X

Rare

Rare

1/ 1000m215 cm

Macrophyte and

Hydroid TurfVarious Species PMF

09:58:18

10:07:59

01:18

10:59

82415 817397

82492 817573

XXXXPatchy

Abundant

Common10-19%

coverTurf

Devonshire Cup Coral Caryophyllia smithii PMF Component Species09:58:4809:58:51

01:4801:51

82421 81741182421 817413

XXXX

PatchyAbundant

Occasional10-19%

cover10-99/ m2

Meadow

Plate c. Species Identified on the Seabed: An Camus - Transect 3

Transect 3

Transect start:

82553 81727910:20:00

Transect end:

82666 81750210:35:51

Orientation:

NE to SW

Video duration:

15:51

Common Name Latin Name Status Screen shot Time Frame Co-ordinateVideo

Frequency

SACFOR

JNCC Scale

Tube Anemone Cerianthus lloydii No Special Status10:21:3510:25:20

01:3505:20

82568 81731082601 817371

XXOccasional

Rare

1-9/ 1000m21 - 3 cm

Common Starfish Asterias rubens No Special Status10:24:5810:28:53

04:5808:53

82601 81736582637 817417

XRare

Rare1/ 1000m2

15 cm

Brittlestar Ophiura ophiura No Special Status10:33:1410:33:34

13:1413:34

82657 81747382657 817476

XXOccasional

Rare1-9/ 1000m2

3 - 15 cm

Spiny Starfish Marthasterias glacialis No Special Status 10:33:48 13:48 82659 817478X

Rare

Rare

1/ 1000m215 cm

Sponge Halichondria panicea No Special Status10:33:48

10:34:22

13:48

14:22

82659 817478

82663 817482

XX

Occasional

Rare1% cover

1-9/ 100m2Massive

Edible Sea Urchin Echinus esculentus IUCN Red List - Near Threatened10:33:54

10:35:27

13:54

15:27

82660 817479

82665 817498

XXX

Common

Frequent

1-9/ 100m215 cm

Seven- Armed Starfish Luidia ciliaris No Special Status 10:34:08 14:08 82660 817482X

Rare

Rare

1/ 1000m215 cm

Great Scallop Pecten maximus No Special Status 10:22:05 02:05 82569 817319X

Rare

Rare

1/ 1000m215 cm

Macrophyte andHydroid Turf

Various Species PMF10:33:5310:35:10

13:5315:10

82660 81747982665 817495

XXXX

PatchyAbundant

Common

10-19% cover

Turf

Appendix 2. Species present summary sheet

Species Present Transect 1 Transect 2 Transect 3

Echinus esculentus X XX XXX

Ophiura ophiura X X XX

Cerianthus lloydii X X XX

Luidia ciliaris X X X

Asterias rubens X X X

Pecten maximus X X X

Marthasterias glacialis X X

Eledone cirrhosa X

Pagurus bernhardus X

Labrus mixtus X

Callionymus lyra X

Macrophyte and Hydroid Turf XXXX (patchy) XXXX (patchy)

Swiftia pallida XXXX (patchy)

Caryophyllia smithii XXXX (patchy)

Halichondria panicea XX XX

n Camas Relocation

June 2016 Environmental Baseline Audit

Please complete Green boxes ( where applicable)

At the time of the seabed survey, please complete the following details relating to the site

SEPA site ID (for SEPA use only)

Company Name Marine Harvest (Scotland) Ltd

Address Farms Office

Stob Ban House

Glen Nevis Business Park

Fort William

PH33 6RX

Scotland

UK

Site name An Camus Relocation

Site owned by (if different from above)-

Consent( s) Number -

National Grid Reference of (proposed) cage centre

e.g. AB 1234 1234) NF 82476. 983, 17450. 519

DGPS (use WGS84 datum) position of cage edge

sampling station 57° 08.266'N, 007° 15.047'W

Number of (proposed) cages on site 10

Size of cages on site 100m Circumference plastic cages.

Max. consented biomass 1,471 tons

Biomass on site -

Date of stocking

If fallow, date last fish on site

Feeding method Automatic Feeding Barge

Antifoulant used (Yes/No) Yes

Length of time site has been in continuous use since

the last fallow period

Survey InformationName of Surveyors

Date Seabed Survey Carried Out 23/06/2016

Report prepared by

Date 11/07/2016

Have all the monitoring requirements of the consent

been completed? ( Yes/No) Yes

Scottish Environment Protection Agency Version 3

Survey Cover Sheet - Extended Baseline Survey

Site Information

06 October 2009