Marine Habitat Mapping

JNCC creates and collates marine habitat maps to help target conservation and management of human activities at sea. All our data are published freely.

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:

1. 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:
   1. UKASH Library of Localised Maps - a standardised collection of individual, ground-truthed habitat maps from various sources.
   2. UKASH Mosaic of Localised Maps - a unified, non-overlapping map product that prioritises the most reliable maps from the UKASH Library of Localised Maps.
   3. UKSeaMap Predictive Map - a seamless, full-coverage predictive map of physical seabed habitats in the UK.
   4. UKASH Combined Map - the UKASH Mosaic of Localised Maps, with gaps filled by the UKSeaMap Predictive Map.
2. 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:​

• • Habitats Directive Annex I marine habitats in the UK
  • OSPAR threatened and/or declining habitats in the NE Atlantic
  • Habitats of national priority – Priority Marine Features in Scotland and Features of Conservation Importance in England and offshore Wales/N Ireland
• For some habitats we also predict their distribution based on information such as depth, sediment type and other environmental conditions, see: Habitat Suitability Models

Top

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.

Top

Pages in Marine Habitat Mapping

Related Categories