Regional Environmental Characterisation Projects
The Marine ALSF commissioned a series of regional surveys to
develop understanding of Britain's submerged habitats and
heritage.
The seabed around our coast holds a wealth of marine life and
habitats as well as a huge range of historic finds; ancient and
modern from shipwrecks to prehistoric landscapes, submerged as sea
levels rose after end of the Ice Age and Britain became an island.
However the seabed is also subject to pressure from a range of
uses, including marine aggregate extraction, fishing and wind
farms.
The aim of the Regional Environmental Characterisation (REC)
surveys was to acquire data, of the highest quality and detail
possible; to enable broadscale characterisation of the seabed
habitats, their biological communities and potential historic
environment assets within the regions.
The Regional Environmental Characterisations (RECs) were
conducted in the following areas.
- South Coast (2007 - 2010)
- Outer Thames (2007-2009)
- East Coast (2008 - 2011)
- Humber (2008 - 2011)
Please refer to the Natural Seabed Resources theme
for more info on individual REC projects.
Up to 1400 kilometres (*3000 kilometres for the East Coast &
Humber regions) of acoustic survey data was acquired in each
region, as well as seabed samples, video and photographs.
The survey data for all RECs have been interpreted and finals
reports and seabed maps produced. Geophysical and
Environmental Survey data and Operations reports, final reports and
interpreted data, including shape files are all available at www.marinealsf.org.uk.
REC WEBGIS' were created for all projects to
allow users to browse and visualise a number of geospatial datasets
submitted as part REC Projects, and can be accessed via links
below. Access to the REC datasets is only available via the
Marine GIS database
For detailed information of the geographical locations of RECs
please see the following: Geographical Locations of
RECs
Older RECs
Prior to 2007, the MALSF undertook projects in the Eastern
English Channel (EEC) and Outer Bristol Channel (OBC). The
MEPF is pleased to announce that the survey data and (where
applicable) interpreted data for these projects is now available
from the Marine GIS (June 2011).