2018 - 2019 Eastern IFCA North Norfolk Coast Habitat Mapping

Over the last three years Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (EIFCA) have completed six habitat mapping surveys along the North Norfolk Coast. These surveys had the aim of identifying and classifying areas of differing seabed type in order to produce a habitat map of the area and inform current and future fishery management decisions. Broadscale area characterisation was achieved using side scan sonar and ground truthing data collected from footage obtained from seabed video surveys. Data was subsequently processed and analysed, and a habitat map produced for the survey area. The resulting habitat map indicates an area made up of predominantly mixed sediment and sand and muddy sand habitats. A large area of mixed sediment stretches across the top of the survey area, with smaller patches closer to shore. An area of stony reef habitat inshore off Salthouse (near Blakeney) was also identified. The findings provide us with higher confidence habitat data within the survey area and support the spatial restrictions that have been proposed along the North Norfolk Coast to protect vulnerable mixed sediment habitats within The Wash and North Norfolk Coast SAC.过去三年间，东部近岸渔业与保护管理局（Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority, EIFCA）已沿北诺福克海岸完成六次生境测绘调查。本次系列调查旨在识别并分类不同类型的海底区域，以绘制该区域的生境地图，并为当前及未来的渔业管理决策提供科学依据。本次调查借助侧扫声呐（side scan sonar）及海底视频调查获取的影像资料所采集的实地验证数据，完成了大范围区域的生境特征表征。后续对采集所得数据进行了处理与分析，并为调查区域绘制了生境地图。最终生成的生境地图显示，调查区域以混合沉积物、沙质及泥砂质生境为主要生境类型。大片混合沉积物生境横跨调查区域的外海一侧，近岸区域则分布有小块零散的该类生境斑块。研究还在萨尔特豪斯（布莱克尼附近）的近岸海域发现了一处石质礁生境区域。本次研究结果为调查区域提供了置信度更高的生境数据，并为北诺福克海岸沿线已提议的空间管控措施提供了支撑，以保护沃什湾与北诺福克海岸特殊保护区（Special Areas of Conservation, SAC）内的脆弱混合沉积物生境。