The dataset on Ocean Energy Test Sites in the EU was created in 2016 by AZTI for the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). It is the result of the aggregation and harmonization of data provided by several sources from all across the EU. It is updated every year, and is available for viewing and download on EMODnet - Human Activities web portal (https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/human-activities). The database contains polygons representing Ocean Energy test sites in the following countries: Denmark, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Where available, each polygon has the following attributes: test site code, name, location, country, sea basin, sea, distance to coast (metres), resource type (wave, tidal), starting year, ending year, lease status, site status, capacity (kW), depth (metres), area (square km), grid connection, number of berths, developer, position info (it indicates if the attribute value is original from the source or has been estimated) and the studies conducted for the Environmental Assessment (EIA). In 2022 the status of the test sites has been been updated.

This composite Digital Terrain Model (cDTM) is a high resolution bathymetry dataset highlighting measurement of depth of water in the ocean. This cDTM covers the Irish Sea off the coast of County Wicklow in Ireland. The EMODnet high resolution DTM covers bathymetry surveys completed between 2002 and 2019. Bathymetric data collected on board research vessels using multi-beam and single-beam echosounder instrumentation. Raw bathymetry processed within CARIS software to produce bathymetry products subsequently converted to NetCDF cDTM for EMODnet. Acquisition, processing and product delivery follows IHO standard s44 Edition 5. cDTM is composed of nine (9) images “merged simply” using GLOBE software. INFOMAR (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource) is a twenty year programme to map the physical, chemical and biological features of Ireland’s seabed established in 2006. INFOMAR is funded by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE), and delivered by joint management partners Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute. The programme is the successor to the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS) which ran between 1999 and 2005. INFOMAR concentrates on creating integrated mapping products related to the seabed.

Broadscale habitat (EUNIS level 3) for Compass Rose recommended Marine Conservation Zone (rMCZ). Seabed texture polygons mapped using expert interpretation of acoustic data (MBES bathymetry and backscatter, and bathymetry compiled for Defra(Astrium, 2011)) and ground-truthing data from PSA analysis and image (stills and video) classification.

It is widely recognised that M. modiolus reefs represent biodiversity ‘hotspots’ (e.g. Rees et al., 2008). In the Craigbrain and Burial Island Modiolus reefs, diversity indices from samples containing more than 9 live Modiolus per m2 showed numbers of taxa per sample ranging from 31 to 161, Shannon-Weiner diversity indices of between 2.0 and 4.3, and Pielou’s evenness index ranging from 0.52 to 0.95, which are all comparable to figures from similar open coast Modiolus reefs such as those of North Llyn and sites in Loch Alsh (see Fariñas-Franco et al., 2014). The diversity indices did not differ markedly from the surrounding area which is characterised by muddy sandy gravels with high shell content (mostly dead Modiolus shell), however the infaunal communities were significantly different between “Modiolus reef” and “surrounding sediments” (as determined through multivariate community analysis, including cluster analysis and ANOSIM routines). Due to inconsistencies in recording of epifaunal species from the grab samples, the epifaunal communities could not be statistically examined; however it was clear that there is a marked increase in the number of epifaunal species over the reef areas. Density of living Modiolus ranged from zero to 530 per m2 . These numbers are similar to those in other open coast reefs, such as the North Llyn beds (Fariñas-Franco et al., 2014), and the variation in numbers per m2 is indicative of the patchy nature of the reefs. The Craigbrain site appears to show the highest numbers of living Modiolus per m2 , however due to the limited number of samples and small areal coverage of grab samples it cannot be concluded that this reef site is markedly different from the Burial Island reef site, and the infaunal community analysis does not show statistically significant differences between the Craigbrain and Burial Island reef sites.

High resolution case study for east of Angus and Aberdeenshire, UK. This habitat map was produced as a case study which applies the same modelling methods used for EUSeaMap 2016, but includes some higher resolution input data available for the study area. The higher resolution datasets are; • Seabed substrate: EMODnet Geology provided the map of predicted seabed sediments at a resolution of 50 m. We used the outputs of a recent rock-mapping exercise in the NorthSea to supplement the sediment map. • Depth to Seabed: the same bathymetry dataset as used by the EMODnet Geology case study (at a resolution of 50 m) was also provided by Cefas for the same area as the substrate dataset. All other input datasets are identical to those used in EUSeaMap 2016 for the Greater North and Celtic Seas model area, but regridding them to a resolution of 50m. The map describes seabed habitats according to both the EUNIS 2007-11 and MSFD predominant habitat classifications. For more information about this habitat map, see section 3.5.2 of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats Final Report.

90th percentile Kinetic energy due to currents at the seabed in the Channel and the Bay of Biscay - Created using the Ifremer hindcast archive MANGA500. For the purpose of EMODnet Seabed Habitat broadscale habitat map product, values were integrated over period 2010-2015. Values are averages of annual percentiles 90th. The spatial resolution of the dataset is 0.0067 decimal degrees (500m). The formula used for the Kinetic Energy calculation is 0.5mv^2, where m is the density of seawater (1027 kg.m-3) and v is the current-induced velocity. Values are expressed in N.m-2 (Newton per square meter). The vertical level is the seafloor. Created by the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project consortium using the MANGA500 IFREMER-DYNECO Hindcast (Caillaud Matthieu, Vasquez Mickael (2016). Manche-Gascogne - 500m - Energie cinétique à la surface de l'océan. https://sextant.ifremer.fr/record/357d72f4-855d-43de-8370-40ff8e4d9542/).

Confidence in 90th percentile kinetic energy due to currents at the seabed in the Channel and the Bay of Biscay - Created by the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project consortium using the MANGA500 IFREMER-DYNECO Hindcast (Caillaud Matthieu, Vasquez Mickael (2016). Manche-Gascogne - 500m - Energie cinétique à la surface de l'océan. https://sextant.ifremer.fr/record/357d72f4-855d-43de-8370-40ff8e4d9542/). Values are on a range from 1 (Low confidence) to 3 (High confidence). The confidence assessment considered factors such as: • Quality of training data and methods used to construct the model. • Temporal resolution. • Spatial resolution Detailed information on the confidence assessment in Populus J. et al 2017. EUSeaMap, a European broad-scale seabed habitat map. Ifremer. http://doi.org/10.13155/49975

90th percentile Kinetic energy due to currents at the seabed in the Channel and the Bay of Biscay - Created using the Ifremer hindcast archive MANGA2500. For the purpose of EMODnet Seabed Habitat broadscale habitat map product, values were integrated over period 2010-2015. Values are averages of annual percentiles 90th. The spatial resolution of the dataset is 0.00335 decimal degrees (2500m). The formula used for the Kinetic Energy calculation is 0.5mv^2, where m is the density of seawater (1027 kg.m-3) and v is the current-induced velocity. Values are expressed in N.m-2 (Newton per square meter). The vertical level is the near-seafloor. Created by the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project consortium using the MANGA2500 IFREMER-DYNECO Hindcast.

Confidence in the kinetic energy due to currents at the seabed in the Channel, Celtic Sea and the Bay of Biscay - Created by the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project consortium using the MANGA2500 IFREMER-DYNECO Hindcast. Values are on a range from 1 (Low confidence) to 3 (High confidence). The confidence assessment considered factors such as: • Quality of training data and methods used to construct the model. • Temporal resolution. • Spatial resolution Detailed information on the confidence assessment in Populus J. et al 2017. EUSeaMap, a European broad-scale seabed habitat map. Ifremer. http://doi.org/10.13155/49975

Output of the 2016 EUSeaMap broad-scale predictive model, produced by EMODnet Seabed Habitats. The extent of the mapped area includes the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and areas of the North Eastern Atlantic extending from the Canary Islands in the south to Norway in the North. The map was produced using a "top-down" modelling approach using classified habitat descriptors to determine a final output habitat. Habitat descriptors differ per region but include: Biological zone Energy class Oxygen regime Salinity regime Seabed Substrate Riverine input Habitat descriptors (excepting Substrate) are calculated using underlying physical data and thresholds derived from statistical analyses or expert judgement on known conditions. The model is produced in Arc Model Builder (10.1). The model was created using raster input layers with a cell size of 0.002dd (roughly 250 meters). The model includes the sublittoral zone only; due to the high variability of the littoral zone, a lack of detailed substrate data and the resolution of the model, it is difficult to predict littoral habitats at this scale. The map follows the EUNIS 2007-11 classification system where it is appropriate. For details on methodology see: Populus J. And Vasquez M. (Eds), 2017. EUSeaMap, a European broad-scale seabed habitat map. Ifremer Available from: http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00388/49975/