Video Surveys

Direct insights require clear water Direct insights require clear water

based on the Procedural Guideline 3-5based on the Procedural Guideline 3-5

of the “Marine Monitoring Handbook”:of the “Marine Monitoring Handbook”:

Identifying biotopes using video recordingsIdentifying biotopes using video recordings

Purpose

identify and map habitats/biotopesidentify and map habitats/biotopes identify megafauna and macrophyte species identify megafauna and macrophyte species

(including inicator species)(including inicator species) ground truthing of acoustic surveysground truthing of acoustic surveys identify suitable stations for further identify suitable stations for further

samplingsampling baseline for future monitoringbaseline for future monitoring

Visual Indicators of Environmental Stress

dead animalsdead animals specific behaviour of animalsspecific behaviour of animals lost food pelletslost food pellets methane bubblesmethane bubbles filamentous algaefilamentous algae mats of leucothiobacteriamats of leucothiobacteria garbagegarbage

What do we need?

Two skilled and experienced persons & helmsmanTwo skilled and experienced persons & helmsman A vessel with a stable working platform and preferably a A vessel with a stable working platform and preferably a

dry cabindry cabin A consumer-grade camcorder with housing, lighting, A consumer-grade camcorder with housing, lighting,

umbilical, and board-unitumbilical, and board-unit frame or sledge for protection and positioningframe or sledge for protection and positioning (differential) GPS(differential) GPS echo-sounderecho-sounder computer/logger recording time, depth and positioncomputer/logger recording time, depth and position Power SupplyPower Supply

Survey Design

could be random or stratified random (not explicitely could be random or stratified random (not explicitely specified in guideline)specified in guideline)

standardise effort, e.g. boat drifts with the deployed standardise effort, e.g. boat drifts with the deployed camera a distance of 100 mcamera a distance of 100 m

seasonal variation of turbidity and weather conditions seasonal variation of turbidity and weather conditions restrict the time of the surveyrestrict the time of the survey

in tidal areas the survey should be conducted around in tidal areas the survey should be conducted around slack waterslack water

clocks should be carefully synchronizedclocks should be carefully synchronized handwritten field log with times and positions of handwritten field log with times and positions of

deploymentsdeployments

Data analysis

Identify as many species as possibleIdentify as many species as possible Estimate abundances and sizeEstimate abundances and size Use standardised recording sheetsUse standardised recording sheets After scoring a complete run use data to define After scoring a complete run use data to define

biotopes/habitats (lower size limit 5mbiotopes/habitats (lower size limit 5m2)2)

Compare/match identified biotopes with national Compare/match identified biotopes with national biotope classification (Connor et al. 1997) and biotope classification (Connor et al. 1997) and regional/local biotope descriptionsregional/local biotope descriptions

Quality Assurance

Guidance and Training of personnel, especially for Guidance and Training of personnel, especially for recognition of critical components of biotopesrecognition of critical components of biotopes

Regional description of national biotopesRegional description of national biotopes Second opinion, ca. 10 % of the records should be Second opinion, ca. 10 % of the records should be

double-checkeddouble-checked A reference library of video clips and stills A reference library of video clips and stills

showing variatons of confirmed biotopes should showing variatons of confirmed biotopes should be establishedbe established

Time required

10-25 deployments can be achieved per day10-25 deployments can be achieved per day One 100-m-deployment takes 10-20 minOne 100-m-deployment takes 10-20 min scoring tapes takes about two to three times scoring tapes takes about two to three times

the real-time length of the video footagethe real-time length of the video footage required time for matching identified required time for matching identified

biotopes with national biotope biotopes with national biotope classification?classification?