Isle of Lewis Benthic Ecology Drop-down Video Survey - Envision (2011)

(LWP) (a wholly owned subsidiary of Aquamarine Power Ltd.) was seeking to develop a wave energy demonstration array off the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. As a first stage of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project, LWP commissioned Royal Haskoning Ltd. to produce an Environmental Scoping Report (Lewis Wave Power Ltd., 2011) to facilitate the identification and assessment of the potential environmental impacts associated with the project.

The survey reported on here formed this field-based benthic component. Its purpose was to provide site-specific benthic data to inform an assessment of impact of the proposed development. The key objectives were to: Determine the distribution and abundance of marine habitats and communities within the study areas; Determine the substrate type at all locations sampled and Identify habitats or species of conservation importance.