Mapping, Condition & Conservation Assessment of Honeycomb Worm Sabellaria alveolata Reefs on the Eastern Irish Sea Coast Report to English Nature Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies University of Hull November 2002 Institute of Estuarine & Coastal Studies (IECS) The University of Hull Cottingham Road Hull HU6 7RX UK Tel: +44 (0)1482 465667 or 465661 Fax/Tel: +44 (0)1482 465001 E-mail: [email protected] Author(s): JH Allen, I Billings, N Cutts, M Elliott Web site: http://www.hull.ac.uk/iecs Report: Z122-F-2002 English Nature Mapping, Condition & Conservation Assessment of Honeycomb Worm Sabellaria alveolata Reefs on the Eastern Irish Sea Coast November 2002 Reference No: Z122-F-2002 For and on behalf of the Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies Approved by: ______________________ Signed: ______________________ Position: ______________________ Date: ______________________ This report has been prepared by the Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies, with all reasonable care, skill and attention to detail as set within the terms of the Contract with the client. We disclaim any responsibility to the client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of the above. This is a confidential report to the client and we accept no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report, or any part thereof, is made known. Any such party relies on the report at their own risk. Sabellaria alveolata: Mapping, Condition & Conservation Assessment Report to English Nature TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ...............................................................................................................................I 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background ...............................................................................................................................1 1.2 Introduction...............................................................................................................................1 1.3 Eastern Irish Sea (Marine Nature Conservation Review: Region 13).......................................1 1.4 Current Status............................................................................................................................2 2. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................3 2.1 Approach...................................................................................................................................3 2.2 Aims & Objectives....................................................................................................................3 2.3 Methodology ..........................................................................................................................4 2.4 Outputs......................................................................................................................................5 3. STUDY AREA...................................................................................................................................6 3.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................................6 3.2 Sub-Areas.............................................................................................................................11 3.2.1 Sub Area 1..................................................................................................................11 3.2.2 Sub-Area 2 .................................................................................................................16 3.2.3 Sub-Area 3 .................................................................................................................18 3.2.4 Sub-Area 4 .................................................................................................................19 3.2.5 Sub-Area 5 .................................................................................................................21 3.3 Summary .................................................................................................................................22 4. LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................................23 4.1 General Introduction ...............................................................................................................23 4.2 Distribution .............................................................................................................................24 4.3 Environmental Requirements..................................................................................................26 4.3.1 Physical Environment ................................................................................................26 4.3.2 Vertical Distribution/Depth........................................................................................27 4.3.3 Hydrography ..............................................................................................................27 4.3.4 Suspended Sediment ..................................................................................................27 4.3.5 Temperature ...............................................................................................................27 4.3.6 Salinity .......................................................................................................................28 4.4 Physical Characteristics ..........................................................................................................28 4.5 Population Dynamics ..............................................................................................................29 4.7 Associated Community ...........................................................................................................32 4.8 Natural Events.........................................................................................................................35 4.9 Human Impacts ........................................................................................................................37 5. DATA COLLECTION ..........................................................................................................................40 5.1 Historical Data ........................................................................................................................40 5.2 Aerial Photographs..................................................................................................................40 5.2.1 Morecambe Bay .........................................................................................................40 Page i Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies Sabellaria alveolata: Mapping, Condition & Conservation Assessment Report to English Nature 5.2.2 Barrow, Duddon & Drigg...........................................................................................41 5.2.3 South Solway .............................................................................................................41 5.2.4 North Solway .............................................................................................................42 5.3 Summary .................................................................................................................................43 6. FIELD SURVEY..................................................................................................................................45 6.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................45 6.2 Survey Areas...........................................................................................................................45 6.2.1 North Wales/South Lancs. Coast................................................................................45 Dee Estuary ..........................................................................................................................45 6.2.2 Morecambe Bay Area.................................................................................................45 6.2.3 Cumbria Coast............................................................................................................46 6.2.4 South (English) Solway Coast....................................................................................47 6.3 Methodology...........................................................................................................................48 6.3.1 Pre-survey Data Set-up and Analysis.........................................................................48 6.3.2 Ground Survey Using Global Positioning Systems ...................................................50 6.3.3 Transect Survey and Quadrat Sampling.....................................................................53 6.3.4 Post-Survey Data Processing and Analysis................................................................53 7. RESULTS OF FIELD SURVEY .............................................................................................................59 7.1 North Wales/South Lancashire Coast .....................................................................................59 7.2 Morecambe Bay Area .............................................................................................................59