Cockle and Mussel Stock (bird food) Surveys in the Burry Inlet 2005 - 2009

Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are strictly protected sites classified in accordance with Article 4 of the EC Birds Directive. They are classified for rare and vulnerable birds (as listed on Annex I of the Directive), and for regularly occurring migratory species. The Burry Inlet Special Protection Area (SPA) supports nationally and internationally important populations of wildfowl and waders. It also supports an important cockle fishery. The removal of cockles and the associated disturbance caused by fishing, needs to be balanced with bird food requirements. The aim of the project is to assess the food requirements of wading birds that over-winter in the Burry Inlet Special Protection Areas (SPAs). Data Collection is repeated annually. In the future this data may be combined with data gathered on bird foraging behaviour, together with site specific data on bird numbers and used in an individual behaviour based model to predict the food requirements of a bird population.

Identification

Identifier
NRW_DS108873
Alternative Title
  • Arolygon ar Gocos a Misglod (bwyd adar) ym Mhorth Tywyn o 2005 - 2009
Metadata Language
English
Lineage

The surveys were coordinated by Coastal Assessment, Liaison and Monitoring, who sub-contracted individuals to make up the field survey team. Over 400 cockle survey stations (on a grid system) were surveyed, using GPS, 0.1m2 quadrats and a sieve of 2 mm mesh. Cockles retained in the sieve were measured and counted; enabling the production of cockle density maps and estimates of the total cockle populations of each area. Mussel beds in the Inlet were also surveyed in a similar way, and all mussels over 10 mm length in each 0.1m2 quadrat were measured and counted. This enabled the estimation of the total mussel populations of each bed. From 2007, samples of the shellfish were analysed to measure wet weight, ash free dry weight and shell length; providing sufficient data to determine length: weight relationships and thereby calculate estimates of total weight of shellfish in the Inlet. The methodology for the data collection is based on West et al. (2004). The dataset builds on work initiated in 2004 as part of a wider assessment of Cockle and Mussel Stocks across three sites in Wales (The Dee Estuary, Traeth Lafan, Gwynedd and the Burry Inlet).
Additional Information

Data was also collected in 2004 as part of a wider project to look at bird food stocks in several estuaries across Wales. This is detailed in a separate metadata entry (115678: Low Tide Wetland Birds Surveys (WeBS) Counts and Feeding activity of Oystercatch and Knot in the Burry Inlet SPA and Carmarthen Bay SAC (2013-2014)).
Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
2009-01-31
Owner
  Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en
Originator
  Various contractors
See Natural Resources Wales, Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresourceswales.gov.uk/splash?orig=/
Originator
  Coastal Assessment Liaison and Monitoring (CALM)
Ti Cara, Point Lane, Cosheston, Pembrokeshire, SA72 4UN, Wales
<!--No website -->
 

Extent

Extent

Geographic Extent
Wales (WLS)
N
W
E
S
Map representing the geographic extent of the dataset


 

Vertical Extent

Medin Extent Keyword
benthic boundary layer
 
 

Distribution

Format Type and Description
  • Documents ()

    Specification

    [A] Maps of cockle and mussel sampling stations (Digital point data and hard copy maps in report) [B] Maps of Cockle and mussel areas (Digital polygon maps and hard copy maps in report) [C] Raw data held in MS Excel and MapInfo [D] Draft summary report - electronic

 

Quality

Data quality

Quality Scope
Dataset
Conformity
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Explanation
Degree
false
Lineage

The surveys were coordinated by Coastal Assessment, Liaison and Monitoring, who sub-contracted individuals to make up the field survey team. Over 400 cockle survey stations (on a grid system) were surveyed, using GPS, 0.1m2 quadrats and a sieve of 2 mm mesh. Cockles retained in the sieve were measured and counted; enabling the production of cockle density maps and estimates of the total cockle populations of each area. Mussel beds in the Inlet were also surveyed in a similar way, and all mussels over 10 mm length in each 0.1m2 quadrat were measured and counted. This enabled the estimation of the total mussel populations of each bed. From 2007, samples of the shellfish were analysed to measure wet weight, ash free dry weight and shell length; providing sufficient data to determine length: weight relationships and thereby calculate estimates of total weight of shellfish in the Inlet. The methodology for the data collection is based on West et al. (2004). The dataset builds on work initiated in 2004 as part of a wider assessment of Cockle and Mussel Stocks across three sites in Wales (The Dee Estuary, Traeth Lafan, Gwynedd and the Burry Inlet).
 

Keywords

Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2008-06-01
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme

Keywords

NRW Thesaurus
  • cockle beds
  • cockle fishery
  • cockles
  • cerastoderma edule (previously known as cardium edule)
  • cockling
  • mussel beds
  • mussel crumble
  • mussels
  • unionidae
  • Burry Inlet
  • waders (see also specific species)
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Publication)
2023-12-31
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords

Keywords

SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary
  • Shellfish abundance and biomass in water bodies
Type
Theme

Citation

Date (Revision)
2021-01-06
Code
geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml
 

Spatial Reference System

Code
British National Grid (EPSG::27700)
 

Content

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

NRW Related Title

Burry Inlet cockle mortalities investigation 2009 - 2011
NRW Related Title

A survey of the cockle stocks in the Burry Inlet, South Wales
NRW Related Title

A survey of the cockle stocks in the Burry Inlet, South Wales
NRW Related Title

A survey of the cockle stocks in the Burry Inlet, South Wales
NRW Related Title

Surveys of cockle and mussel stocks in the Burry Inlet 2004 to 2008
NRW Related Title

Surveys of cockle and mussel stocks in the Burry Inlet 2009
NRW Related Title

Surveys of cockle and mussel stocks in the Burry Inlet 2011
 

Constraints

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Restriction type
Other restrictions
 

Access Constraints Directive

Limitations
no limitations
 

Access Constraints Text

Other constraints

There are no access restrictions to this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.
 

Use Constraints

Use constraints type
Other restrictions
Other constraints

© CNC/NRW 2009. There are no use restrictions on this data. Recipients may re-use, reproduce, disseminate this data free of charge in any format or medium, provided they do so accurately, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright, and do not use it in a misleading context. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose, that dissemination or publishing does not result in duplication, and that it is fairly interpreted. Advice on interpretation should be sought where required. To avoid re-using old data, users should periodically obtain the latest version from the original source.
 
 
 

Metadata

Metadata

File Identifier
4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313038383733 XML
Metadata Language
English
Resource type
Dataset
Metadata Date
2024-12-09T12:33:45.72Z
Metadata Standard Name
NRW
Metadata Standard Version

1.0

pointOfContact
  Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales
http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en
 
 

Publishing Body

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