Starting this week, (weather permitting), Natural England and its partners are surveying the waters off the southern coast of the Isle of Wight, an area which is recognised as an important European marine site to help protect the species and habitats.

Chris McMullon, coastal and marine specialist for Natural England in the South East, says: “This work will help us plot the reefs, gullies and boulder fields which characterise this dynamic environment, and, in due course, will help scientists understand the marine communities in these tide swept areas. The more we know about our marine environment, the better we can protect the future health of the seas around Britain and the species which live in them.”

The South Wight Maritime European marine site will be surveyed for the first time using a multibeam echo sounder. This will enable Natural England staff to collect data to map the seafloor. Once analysed this data, alongside video and diver records, will allow scientists to determine the different communities which thrive in the tide swept environments, a technique known as habitat mapping.

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