Mapping Environmental Considerations for Marine Spatial Planning in Wales
Environmental Considerations spatial datasets for marine planning. These datasets are derived from multiple datasets indicating the presence of protected features in Welsh waters. The data is presented on 1 km2 hexagonal grids.
Operational phase was considered for all sectors for all feature groups, and includes maintenance activities. The construction phase was only considered for sectors where potential construction impacts are substantially different from those during operation (tidal stream, wave, tidal range, Floating offshore wind and cabling). However, for the Bird feature group, construction phase was only considered for tidal range and cabling. The scoring methodology included three main stages:
1. The occurrence score reflects either the presence or absence, or standardized abundance (where abundance data was available) of features (i.e., species, habitats, or protected sites) and were scored from 1 to 3 on a continuous scale where 1 was the lowest density and 3 the highest for each feature.
2. The conservation importance score is an estimate of the level of protection each feature has based on the legislation that confers a feature protection. It is important to note that all the features included in this work are conferred protection under various legislation and all are important considerations in the planning of developments. This step was scored from 1 to 5.
3. An impact score to reflect potential impacts on features based on the likely pressures generated by each sector was applied for the operational pressures of each of the focus sectors and, separate to this, construction pressures for some sectors. Where there was considered to be a lack of evidence then a higher score was applied. The current approach did not assess specific technologies individually but considered the potential pressures that could originate from a sector and their potential to negatively affect each of the features. This step was scored from 1 to 3.
A total score was calculated for each feature in each cell, and these were summed for each 1 km2 hexagonal grid cell, providing a relative ‘environmental considerations’ score for each feature group per sector. The approach taken to the scoring differed slightly between feature groups based on the available evidence
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS125499
- Alternative Title
-
- Mapping Environmental Considerations for Marine Planning - Birds.lyr
- Mapping Environmental Considerations for Marine Planning - Fish.lyr
- Mapping Environmental Considerations for Marine Planning - Habitats Benthic Species.lyr
- Mapping Environmental Considerations for Marine Planning - Mammals.lyr
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
-
The methods used to derive these datasets are based on those used in the Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources project: ABPmer, 2020. Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources, Ecological Constraints and Opportunities, ABPmer Report No. R.3527. A report produced by ABPmer for Welsh Government. Datasets and methods have been updated and applied to additional sectors.
- Additional Information
-
Murray, L.G., Bloomfield, H. and Skates, L. (2023). Mapping Environmental Considerations for Marine Spatial Planning in Wales: Methodology Report. Natural Resources Wales, Bangor.
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 2023-10-24
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- Wales (WLS)
))
Vertical Extent
- Medin Extent Keyword
- circalittoral
Distribution
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
-
-
Geographic Information System
(
)
- Specification
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ESRI Feature Class
-
Geographic Information System
(
)
- Resource Locator
- View and Download ( WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link )
- Resource Locator
- Web Map Service ( OGC:WMS )
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
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This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
- Degree
- false
- Lineage
-
The methods used to derive these datasets are based on those used in the Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources project: ABPmer, 2020. Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources, Ecological Constraints and Opportunities, ABPmer Report No. R.3527. A report produced by ABPmer for Welsh Government. Datasets and methods have been updated and applied to additional sectors.
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
-
NRW Thesaurus
-
- marine planning
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2024-06-13
Keywords
-
SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary
-
- Habitat extent
- Seal abundance
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2024-03-28
Spatial Reference System
Content
Content Information
NRW Profile
Custom Elements
Constraints
Constraints
Limitations on Public Access and Use
- Restriction type
- Other restrictions
Access Constraints Directive
- Limitations
- no limitations
Access Constraints Text
- Other constraints
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There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.
Use Constraints
- Use constraints type
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
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Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.
Attribution Statement
- Other constraints
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Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Contains JNCC, Natural England, SNH, UKHO, RSPB, BTO, MCS, Cefas, WG and Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right.
Metadata
Metadata
- File Identifier
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313235343939 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2025-10-14T10:01:02.37Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
-
1.0