JNCC creates and collates marine habitat maps to help target conservation and management of human activities at sea. All our data are published freely.
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Areas of Work
We ensure that the best available seabed habitat maps are compiled, cleaned, standardised and published openly, so that they are available to answer a multitude of questions related to nature conservation.
There are two broad categories of seabed maps. In both cases, maps may either be localised to a specific area of interest as a result of a targeted survey, or cover a large region as a result of predictive modelling. There are maps which:
- Describe the seabed everywhere within the area of interest using a comprehensive classification system: typically the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain & Ireland or EUNIS. For this we maintain and publish the UK Atlas of Seabed Habitats (UKASH), which is composed of:
- UKASH Library of Localised Maps - a standardised collection of individual, ground-truthed habitat maps from various sources.
- UKASH Mosaic of Localised Maps - a unified, non-overlapping map product that prioritises the most reliable maps from the UKASH Library of Localised Maps.
- UKSeaMap Predictive Map - a seamless, full-coverage predictive map of physical seabed habitats in the UK.
- UKASH Combined Map - the UKASH Mosaic of Localised Maps, with gaps filled by the UKSeaMap Predictive Map.
- Only show specific habitats within the area of interest, typically a habitat from a priority list. For this we maintain and publish several habitat-specific, non-overlapping map products showing the best available information on the extent of these habitats over large areas:
- For some habitats we also predict their distribution based on information such as depth, sediment type and other environmental conditions, see: Habitat Suitability Models
Use of Information
The information gained through this work is used to:
- Provide evidence for JNCC’s operational work, such as characterising and monitoring marine protected areas in UK waters beyond 12 nm from the coast.
- Provide standardised, consistent evidence for UK-wide and international assessments of the health of the marine environment.
Much of this work is done in collaboration with other UK public bodies and project partners from across Europe.
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