2006, CMACS, Rhyl Flats, Beam Trawl Survey

This project examines the beam trawl survey that took place across the proposed development area of Rhyl Flats offshore wind farm during September 2006 by CMACS Ltd. This survey was carried out to provide information concerning the benthic populations as part of the benthic baseline survey program. In total 954 fish from 23 fish taxa were recorded. The most common fish species recorded was dab, with a total of 229 individuals recorded. In comparison with the beam trawl results from 2005, fish species and epifaunal numbers are similar to those recorded at the same sites. It is considered that these two datasets from successive years (2005 and 2006) will provide significant information from which to monitor any possible impacts of the Rhyl Flats offshore wind farm construction and operation upon the benthic fish and epifaunal species populations of the area.