Translated from East Rockall habitat map showing all Annex I and non-Annex I habitats. Translated to EUNIS by JNCC. Data collected in 2009 aboard the MV Franklin in July 2009: Acoustics (Multibeam echosounder), Sidescan Sonar, Drop camera/towed video (17 sites). For the East Rockall Bank AoS the original survey plan consisted primarily of a series of traverses along the top and base of the eastern flank of Rockall Bank and several traverses at right angles across the top of the bank and down into the Rockall Trough. However to maximise the coverage along the rocky escarpment that runs along the length of the AoS, this initial plan was replaced with a long double swath width of multibeam echosounder data acquired along the escarpment; the upper break in slope, roughly coincident with the 500m bathymetric contour, as imaged previously by the SEA 7 2005 multibeam echosounder datasets. From previous studies (including FRS drop camera surveys), this area was selected as being the most likely place to host Annex I reef habitats, in particular as potential sites for Lophelia pertusa. A number of survey lines at right angles to the break in slope were added to the along-escarpment line to better characterise features of interest observed on the 2005 multibeam echosounder dataset downslope of the escarpment. Additionally several survey lines were located on the top of the bank, across an area of suspected iceberg ploughmarks.

The aim of the survey was to map the seabed environment around North Rona. The survey will form the baseline for future management of the area to determine the scope and nature of any appropriate assessment. The survey area encompasses the seabed all around North Rona. In order to record and characterise the habitats around North Rona, Seastar Survey Ltd. undertook an acoustic and a ground-truthing survey (video/still photography survey) in 2009. The aim of the acoustic element of the survey was to identify different backscatter returns and describe as well as delineate the extent of the various seabed habitat types occurring around North Rona. A digital sidescan sonar mosaic, in conjunction with single beam echo sounder derived bathymetry, provided the initial broadview to map the substrata present throughout the survey area as well as allowing the identification of any features of interest. The aim of the ground-truthing element of the survey was to provide a description of the richness and diversity of the habitats on both rocky reef and the softer sediments. The biotope distribution and species composition was developed through interpretation of drop-down video footage and digital still photography, taken after evaluation of the sidescan mosaic. The results of all elements of the survey were used to create a Geographical Information System (GIS) which enabled a high level of processing, interpretation and display of the sidescan sonar mosaic, bathymetry, substrata types, biotopes and the digital photography.

Data collected aboard the MV Franklin in July 2009: Acoustics (Multibeam echosounder), Drop camera/towed video (10 sites). The original survey plan (Stewart 2009) for the Anton Dohrn Seamount AoS involved a combination of radial transects on the top of Anton Dohrn and a suite of transects parallel to the flanks of the seamount both at the top of the flank and a level near the base the flank tohighlight the lower level of possible rock or hard substrate. The survey plan was subsequently modified to provide an area of multibeam coverage over two areas on the flanks of the seamount. The areas selected were on the south-eastern flank and the northwestern flank (Figure 5) and included diverse morphological features noted during the SEA 7 2005 survey (Jacobs 2006). The areas would provide a contrast between the south-eastern area primarily subject to southern water masses and the north-western area occasionally influenced by ÔÇÿcolderÔÇÖ NSDW waters spilling over the Wyville Thomson Ridge. The two case study areas also differ in the height of the cliff surrounding the seamount. In the northwestern area the break in slope is at around 845m below sea level with the cliff descending to the moat at around 2195m depth, the slope levels off below 1700m at the foot of the cliff. The south-eastern area shows a subtle break in slope at around 875m below sea level and a major break in slope at around 1100m below sea level before the cliff descends towards the centre of the moat at around 2300m water depth. The range of morphological features observed on the lower slopes of also differed. Both the original biotope map showign Annex I habitats and a translated EUNIS version are available.