2017 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Carron and Inner Sound benthic camera survey (July)

This work, undertaken by SNH in July 2017, consisted of a 3-day drop-down video survey in Loch Carron and Inner Sound. 86 sites were surveyed to further knowledge of the distribution of PMF habitats, with particular emphasis on flame shell and maerl beds. The survey was carried out from the vessel FV Shearwater throughout the Loch Carron urgent MPA (May 2017 designation boundary) and extended beyond the south-western boundary to encompass an area of maerl and historic seagrass bed records in Port Luinge, west of Plockton. Eight drop-down video sites were located in the Inner Sound to the north of Loch Carron in order to confirm the presence of a previously unreported flame shell bed there.本项目由苏格兰自然遗产局（Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH）于2017年7月牵头实施，在卡伦湾（Loch Carron）与内湾（Inner Sound）区域开展了为期三天的下放式水下视频调查（drop-down video survey）。本次共布设86个调查点位，旨在深化对PMF生境分布的科学认知，重点聚焦焰贝床（flame shell bed）与珊瑚藻藻床（maerl beds）。调查由"Shearwater"号渔船（Fishing Vessel, FV Shearwater）执行，覆盖卡伦湾紧急海洋保护区（Marine Protected Area, MPA，2017年5月划定的边界）全域，并向西南边界外延伸，涵盖普洛克顿（Plockton）西侧伦奇港（Port Luinge）区域内的珊瑚藻藻床与历史海草床记录分布区。为验证此前未被文献报道的一处焰贝床的存在，调查团队在卡伦湾北侧的内湾区域布设了8个下放式水下视频调查点位。