EMFF National Sediment Sampling & Seabed Imagery Catalogue

The aim of this document is to provide a centralised location for an integrated national sediment sampling and seabed imagery catalogue. It provides a ‘signpost’ to the multiple sources of seabed data. The integration of this information will be vital to support the National marine planning process, in terms of habitat mapping, climate change assessment, resource assessment (e.g. aggregates) and invasive species incidence. Benthic and seabed sediment data are collected in Irish waters in response to a wide range of biodiversity, development, resource assessment, environmental and legislative drivers; however, there is, as yet, no single source of information. It is thus proposed to carry out a scoping study to assess the sources of coastal and offshore sediment samples and seabed imagery, and develop an integrated catalogue and spatial data resource (GIS) of ground-truthed information and metadata for seabed characterisation and habitat mapping. The objectives are to collate sediment sampling metadata from existing government, research and industry sources and to develop a national sediment sampling and seabed imagery catalogue which will support multiple legislative drivers. This will provide a catalogue of seabed data, which will provide baseline data to assess temporal and spatial changes related to the impacts of human activities and climate change. This national catalogue of sediment samples and seabed imagery will facilitate increased re-use of multi-programme ground-truthing resources and data. Higher resolution assessments feasible, including EIAs Web service delivery or outputs via Marine Atlas and/or Irish Digital Ocean will make the information available to end-users.