The dataset comprises: species records from benthic surveys commissioned by SNH or projects where SNH were a partner and the outputs are under the custodianship of SNH. Additionally species records determined from SNH analysis of third party commissioned benthic survey video footage are included. The dataset contains surveys which contributed to the Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) programme, EU-funded BioMar Life project, SNH Site Condition Monitoring including broad scale surveys in support of the Natura process, surveys to establish the impact of specific activities on marine habitats and species and surveys to support the Scottish Marine Protected Areas project.

Survey to establish the infaunal species composition and sediment properties of maerl bed habitats in Falmouth Harbour, from SCUBA diver collected core samples. Surveys were conducted in response to proposed dredging activities to deepen the shipping channel. Core samples collected by divers September - November 2012 and July - August 2013 were used to assess habitat quality and species distribution by quantifying the abundance of infauna and analysing organic content, particle size and maerl structure. There were 6 sites divided into three 5m2 plots. SCUBA divers collected 8 maerl core samples per plot: 5 cores for faunal analysis and 3 cores for sediment and organic content analysis.

This survey was carried out to gather information regarding the numbers and distribution of Crawfish throughout Britain and Ireland. The dataset consists of records of sightings of <i>Palinurus elephas</i> by scuba divers.

This dataset includes species found in the demosponge Sarcotragus foetidus. The sponges were collected form two stations, in depths between 5 and 17 meters. The stations were located in Linaraki (Sithonia, Halkidiki, Greece) and in Milourgia (Kissonerga, Pafos, Cyprus). Sampling in Cyprus was conducted in January of 2003 and August of 2003 and 2007, in depths between 5 and 10 meters. Sampling in Greece was conducted in February and July of 2003, in depths between 14 and 17 meters.

The results of dive surveys carried out by Purbeck Marine Research Unit, Canford School during 1994 and 1995 to record the distribution of Ross Coral <i>Pentapora foliacea</i> at the eastern limit of its range off the Dorset Coast.

In this study, performed under the LifeWatchGreece infrastructure, are presented preliminary results from the digitization of biodiversity data from various sampling expeditions carried out from 1996 to 1999. The main purposes of the project were to examine the biodiversity of mäerl habitats in European seas, assess the anthropogenic impacts and develop conservation strategies for European mäerl beds. Twelve sampling sites were selected. Six of them were subjected to anthropogenic impacts and the other six represented pristine conditions as far as possible. Overall, 4127 records of marine biota were digitized belonging to phyla of the kingdoms Bacteria, Plantae, Chromista and Animalia

Microphytobenthos collected in Panarea Island in the framework of ECO2 Project.

Microphytobenthos monitoring in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, 2013-2014 in the framework of the Italian flagship project RITMARE

Meiobenthos data, as well as data on water parameters and sediment parameters, was gathered at 8 stations along the Turkish Black Sea coast, during 12 sampling events, at 2 depths (3 and 10m). All data is restricted.

Fish assemblages surveyed by using underwater visual censuses (UVC) down to 40 m. Transects were performed between 1997 and 2015 in the Azores, Portugal. All mobile fish were identified to the lowest possible taxon. Dates, geographic coordinates and species recorded are provided.