Porthdinllaen Seagrass Monitoring

Descriptions

Porthdinllaen is part of the Pen Llyn a’r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Porthdinllaen i Borth Pistyll Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). One of the largest Zostera marina seagrass beds in Wales occurs in the bay at Porthdinllaen. A specific project has been set up as part of the management of the Pen Llyn a’r Sarnau SAC to try and secure recovery of the seagrass at Porthdinllaen which is currently in unfavourable condition due to impact of mooring and, to a lesser degree by anchoring. Securing recovery of the seagrass bed is essential to help deliver favourable management of the SAC and to realise the long-term benefits of the habitat to ecosystem functioning and biodiversity.As part of the Porthdinllaen seagrass project a variety of studies have been/are being undertaken to secure an appropriate baseline to establish a detailed picture of the current condition of the seagrass bed that can be used as a reference point to monitor recovery in the future as the project proceeds. The information being collected will also contribute to our understanding of the ecosystem role of the seagrass bed and the impact of mooring on the biodiversity and ecosystem function of this habitat.The work to be undertaken under this contract will contribute to the programme of biological study and monitoring of the Porthdinllaen seagrass bed by:1.Proposing and assessing options for long-term monitoring of the extent and health of the subtidal area of the seagrass bed at Porthdinllaen2.Providing a design for a cost-effective study to investigate the impact of moorings in the inner harbour at Porthdinllaen3.Providing a design for a cost-effective study to investigate recovery of mooring-scar areas within the subtidal area of the seagrass bed at Porthdinllaen.This information will contribute to developing a cost-effective programme of long-term monitoring of the seagrass at Porthdinllaen.