MY Alastor 29/12/12

MY Alastor 29/12/12 Observer Name: Kerri Clarke, Andrew Clarke, David Mellon Observation Start Time: 13.30 Observation End Time: 14.36 Weather Conditions: Overcast, recent heavy rain and strong winds Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 22m Water Visibility: Poor Water Turbidity: (high, medium, low): Medium Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): High Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 9C , Notable Flora: Dead mans fingers, Ascideiella Asprsa, Sagartia Elegans, Large areas of sea orange and Esperiopsis fucrum sponges. Notable Fauna: 7 edible crabs, 12 common starfish, 1 butterfish , 1 dragonet, 1 squat lobster, 1 corkwing wrasse Human Activity at Site: Boats moored at site Rubbish/Pollution: Sardine tins removed from wreck. Large sheet of thing orange plastic removed from stern. Other Observer Comments: Reduced life in winter including lack of conger eel. ? Move to deeper waters in winter or another part of wreck. Limited evidence of dead crabs and no shoaling fish.

Ringhaddy Sound -23/12/12

Observer Name: Kerri Clarke

Observation Start Time: 12.00

Observation End Time: 13.00

Weather Conditions: Wind and rain

Depth of Observations (indicate meters or feet): 10m

Water Visibility: Poor

Water Turbidity: (high, medium, low): Low

Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): Medium

Water Temperature (indicate C or F): 9c

Notable Flora: Very little at depth. Seaweed close to shore

Notable Fauna: 1 Painted Goby,  1 Leach's spider crab, 2 shore crab , 3 common hermit crabs, 4 common starfish, , 1 spiny spider crab. 

Human Activity at Site: Lots of boats moored at site, some boating activity. 

Rubbish/Pollution: Some plastic bottles at the shore. 

Other Observer Comments: Notable reduction in the amount of life in winter months.