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The Extent and Temporal Variation of Disturbance to Epibenthic Communities in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

M. Service  and
B.H. Magorrian
M. Service
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Agriculture and Environmental Science Division, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX.
B.H. Magorrian
Affiliation:
The Queen's University of Belfast, Agriculture and Environmental Science Division, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX
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Extract

Side-scan sonar and underwater video were used to determine the impact of a trawl fishery on an epibenthic community associated with the horse mussel, Modiolus modiolus in a Northern Ireland sea lough. The presence of marks caused by trawl otter-boards on the sediments could be clearly seen using side-scan sonar and changes to the epibenthos are described from the video survey. It is apparent from the side-scan sonar survey that changes have occurred in the structure of the superficial sediments on heavily trawled areas. However, there was no clear indication of temporal changes. The utility of side-scan sonar coupled with GIS techniques to detect temporal and spatial effects is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 77 , Issue 4 , November 1997 , pp. 1151 - 1164
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1997

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