Marine Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (MALSF) Geophysical and Multibeam Survey 2009/7_MEPF: MALSF Humber Regional Environmental Characterisation Project, Southern North Sea (27/Feb/2009 to 19/Mar/2009)

This BGS led survey, conducted by Gardline took place between Oct2008 and Mar2009 in 3 phases. The first 2 phases were conducted aboard the Gardline MV Vigilant. The first phase was completed due to the advent of adverse whether. The second phase completed the deeper water portion of the survey Information from the first two phases is held under survey number 2008_5_MEPF. A 3rd phase was planned and completed on short notice in the shallow water parts of the survey area aboard the MV Confidante. Information from this third phase is held under Survey Number 2009_7_MEPF. The aim of the Humber Regional Environmental Characterisation (REC) survey, funded through the Marine Environment Protection Fund of the Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (MALSF) was to acquire data, of the highest quality and resolution possible, to enable broadscale characterisation of the seabed habitat, associated biological communities and potential historic environmental assets within the region. The project was managed by the British Geological Survey (BGS), who largely designed the geophysical survey programme, with archaeological direction being supplied by the University of Birmingham and the environmental programme being directed by Marine Ecological Surveys (MES). The “geophysical” and subsequent “ground truthing” field work was carried out by Gardline Geosurveys under the guidance of the other partners. This report and the accompanying similar volume for the ground truthing phase, describe the field operations. The aims of these preliminary phases of the project were to provide data for other interested parties to process. Geophysical data collected includes: sub-tow (Suface tow on Confidante), Side-scan Sonar, Multibeam bathymetry, magnetometer.