Habitat mapping to meet key Habitat mapping to meet key policy and management needs policy and management needs ––a Northern Ireland perspectivea Northern Ireland perspective

Joe BreenJoe BreenEnvironment & Heritage Service,Environment & Heritage Service,

Department of Environment Northern IrelandDepartment of Environment Northern Ireland

Overarching Marine PolicyOverarching Marine Policy

•• Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development•• Promote Marine Spatial PlanningPromote Marine Spatial Planning

Policy DriversPolicy Drivers

•• Aquaculture and FishingAquaculture and Fishing

Policy DriversPolicy Drivers

Policy DriversPolicy Drivers

Rathlin•Annex 1 features•Reefs,Sea Caves, Sandbanks Slightly covered

Strangford Lough•Annex 1 features•Large shallow inlet & bay, Coastal lagoons, uncovered mudflats & sandflats, reefs•Annex 1 species, common seal

Murlough Bay•Annex 1 features•uncovered mudflats & sandflats, Sandbanks Slightly covered, Atlantic salt meadow•Annex 1 species, common seal

Marine Special Areas of Conservation SAC’s

Environment & Heritage Service (EHS)Environment & Heritage Service (EHS)Department of Environment (NI)Department of Environment (NI)

Here in lies the problem!Here in lies the problem!

•• What mapping data do I have to manage What mapping data do I have to manage our sites?our sites?

Northern Ireland SubNorthern Ireland Sub--liottoralliottoralsurveysurvey-- late 70’s, early 80’slate 70’s, early 80’s

AGDS, AGDS, BroadscaleBroadscale mappingmapping

Data; QUB/AFBIQUB/AFBI/EHS

CHIRPS, UUCHIRPS, UU

SidescanSidescan, UU,QUB, AFBI, UU,QUB, AFBI

MultibeamMultibeam, QUB, AFBI,MESH, QUB, AFBI,MESH

Left Admiralty chart survey 1890, right NIE multibeam survey 2005

Source; QUB/AFBI/MESH

Benthic Terrain Modeller: zone classification (ruleBenthic Terrain Modeller: zone classification (rule--based modelling)based modelling)

BroadscaleBroadscale potential habitats identified from potential habitats identified from bathymetry & slope angle information: may be bathymetry & slope angle information: may be useful in identifying EUNIS levels 3 & 4 habitatsuseful in identifying EUNIS levels 3 & 4 habitats

North Maidens PeakNorth Maidens PeakMaximum likelihood classification, Maximum likelihood classification, using slope, using slope, rugosityrugosity and aspect in the and aspect in the cluster analysiscluster analysis

-- More complex image (many mosaics of More complex image (many mosaics of small patches of groundsmall patches of ground--types) than types) than rulerule--based classification which only based classification which only utilised depth and slope angle; this utilised depth and slope angle; this complexity may be more biologically complexity may be more biologically true. Both true. Both rugosityrugosity & aspect could be & aspect could be built into rulebuilt into rule--based modelling. based modelling.

-- This classification may yield potential This classification may yield potential habitats that equate to EUNIS levels 4 habitats that equate to EUNIS levels 4 & 5, as aspect & & 5, as aspect & rugosityrugosity in such a in such a high energy environment is likely to high energy environment is likely to have a large impact upon biological have a large impact upon biological composition.composition.

-- All forms of ‘automated’ (i.e. computed All forms of ‘automated’ (i.e. computed rather than manuallyrather than manually--drawn) drawn) classification will ‘highlight’ any data classification will ‘highlight’ any data artefactsartefacts-- very few of these in North very few of these in North Maidens MBES dataset, but many Maidens MBES dataset, but many more in North Channel Peaks datasetmore in North Channel Peaks dataset

Source AFBI

Take home messageTake home message

•• Need concerted Need concerted action to map all NI, action to map all NI, territorial watersterritorial waters

•• Less reliance on Less reliance on historical datahistorical data

•• Need for central Need for central repository of mapping repository of mapping datadata

Source Marine Institute

Thank you