Created by JNCC, UKSeaMap 2018 gives a broad-scale overview of the coverage of different physical seabed habitats in the UK. It is classified according to three schemes:
- Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland v15.03
- EUNIS marine habitat classification system, with additional deep-sea zones
- MSFD benthic broad habitat types
Data product summary
| View |
Not currently available to view online |
| Download |
Available on JNCC's Resource Hub |
| Web services | UK habitat data products web service (coming soon) |
| Metadata |
Available on JNCC's Resource Hub |
| Version history |
2018: UKSeamap 2018 v1 - EUNIS broad-scale habitat map, building on UKSeaMap 2016 with updates to substrate. 2016: UKSeaMap 2016 - EUNIS broad-scale habitat map, building on EUSeaMap 2016 2010: UKSeaMap 2010 - EUNIS broad-scale habitat map, building on MESH broad-scale habitat map 2006: UKSeaMap - marine landscapes map |
| Further information |
Methods report (coming soon) About the EMODnet broad-scale seabed habitat map for Europe (focus on EUSeaMap 2021) Booklet about how we create these broad-scale maps (focus on EUSeaMap 2016) (PDF) |
Method summary
UKSeaMap 2018 is a composite of two broad-scale habitat maps, arranged in the following priority order to produce a single layer:
- A roughly 100 m* resolution broad-scale habitat map, which covers the majority of the UK shelf area
- EUSeaMap 2016, a coarser resolution** broad-scale habitat map, which covers all European seas
Both of these datasets have been created using identical methods; the only differences are in the resolution of the seabed substrate input data and the source and resolution of the depth data. UKSeaMap 2018 is therefore able to use the more detailed data available for UK waters to create a product based on the best-available evidence.
* 3 arc second = 93 m (latitudinally) by 44-53 m (longitudinally)
** 7.5 arc second = 232 m (latitudinally) by 109-155 m (longitudinally)
Relationship to other projects
Since 2016, UKSeaMap has been a value-added product based on EUSeaMap, an output of the EU-funded EMODnet Seabed Habitats initiative, which JNCC has taken a leading role in since its inception in 2009.
A new version of EUSeaMap was published in 2021, which we recommend using in place of UKSeaMap 2018. In 2022 we plan to produce an update to UKSeaMap.
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