Non-destructive Biodiversity Monitoring of Marine Protected Areas A flying array using High Definition Video

Prof Martin J AttrillDirector, Plymouth University Marine Institute, UKmattrill@plymouth.ac.uk@mjattrill

Marine Protected Area implementation in UK waters

127 Marine ConservationZones: England(2009 Marine Act)

Designated 2013On Hold for further evidence

108 Special Areas of Conservation (EU Habitats Directive)

20 miles

Lyme Bay

MPA implementation in UK waters: Lyme Bay 2008

• First large MPA in UK was 200 km2 Lyme Bay closure to mobile gear

• Protect reef features from trawling and scallop dredging

• We developed methodology for monitoring seabed change in this (and other) MPAs

• Data since 2008

• Towed behind fishing vessel at 0.5 kt

• Maintains itself just above seabed: drag chain

• HD video camera, lights and scaling lasers

• 200 m transects (large organisms)

• Analyse whole transect or random frame grabs (detailed community analysis)

Plymouth University Marine Institute Flying Array

Example of HD resolution video stills grab from marine organisms

ID organisms on Davy Jones’s Hat

PUMI Flying Array: value of HD video

PUMI Flying Array: Operation

• Video clip 1 here

PUMI Flying Array: Operation

PUMI Flying Array: Example Results

Abun

danc

e

Species Richness: Frame grabs

MPA

Outside

MPA

Outside

• Deploy HD video cameras on frames to seabed

• 3 BRUV cameras per site• Bait (mackerel) in baitbox• Film after settling for 30

mins• Record all organisms

seen – use maximum abundance

Enumerating Mobile Organisms: Baited Remote Underwater Video

• Video clip 2 here

Enumerating Mobile Organisms: Baited Remote Underwater Video

• Non-destructive: vital in Marine Sanctuaries• Cost-effective: cover far more ground than divers• Deployable from small boats (fishing vessel)• Samples form library so can always be reanalysed• We’ve deployed down to 60m, in rocky areas and

high tidal stream site• Technology taken up by institutions in UK and France

PUMI Flying Array: summary

C4 Hugh’s Fish Fight

Dr Emma Sheehan

Plymouth University Marine Institute Flying Array

2010