2017 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Carron and Inner Sound benthic camera survey (July)

This work, undertaken by SNH in July 2017, consisted of a 3-day drop-down video survey in Loch Carron and Inner Sound. 86 sites were surveyed to further knowledge of the distribution of PMF habitats, with particular emphasis on flame shell and maerl beds. The survey was carried out from the vessel FV Shearwater throughout the Loch Carron urgent MPA (May 2017 designation boundary) and extended beyond the south-western boundary to encompass an area of maerl and historic seagrass bed records in Port Luinge, west of Plockton. Eight drop-down video sites were located in the Inner Sound to the north of Loch Carron in order to confirm the presence of a previously unreported flame shell bed there.