AWARDED CONTRACT

1. Introduction This survey will contribute to evidence gathering in year one of the marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) inshore benthic project. This is part of a three-year Defra-funded programme, which is led by Natural England and looks to support the drive for new approaches to decision making based on the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) approach. This means using comprehensive evidence of the benefits provided through marine benthic habitats and species (food, carbon storage, well-being etc.) to increase confidence, and to reduce time and costs associated with making complex environmental decisions concerning the marine environment. The end product will be a suite of natural capital tools which will be used in decision making.

This survey will gather evidence on the quantity and quality of intertidal ecosystem assets. The work is packaged in two Lots; Lot 1 for the Solway Firth SAC, and Lot 2 for Morecambe Bay SAC. Contractors are invited to apply for either one or both of these lots. The aims, objectives, methods and data output requirements are the same for both Lots.

The evidence gathered in this survey will improve the coverage, scale and quality of ecological evidence (specifically intertidal benthic habitats). Detailed survey and analyses will enable us to understand the distribution and scale provisioning services of the sediments to marine birds, and humans (shellfish). Evidence gathering in year 1 of the mNCEA programme will feed into Natural England's natural capital understanding of not only biodiversity but other ecosystem services.

Survey Areas Lot 1: Solway Firth SAC Lot 2: Morecambe Bay SAC