This report presents findings from the first dedicated monitoring survey (2018) of the Whitsand and Looe Bay Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ), designed to provide a baseline for future assessment of the site. The imagery survey was designed to provide targeted information on the extent, distribution, structural, and functional attributes of the Pink Sea-Fan, Eunicella verrucosa, including information on the characteristics of the supporting habitat, and physical and chemical properties within the MCZ. The extent and distribution of the Sea-Fan Anemone, Amphianthus dohrnii, is described in a limited capacity.
The seabed was found to be a mix of rocky and sandy habitats, with rocky areas being most common. Overall, habitats appeared similar to those mapped in earlier surveys, suggesting no major changes in their extent or distribution. Water conditions such as temperature, oxygen, and salinity were typical for the area.
Pink Sea-Fans were widely recorded both inside and outside the MCZ, primarily on rocky habitats. The supporting habitat for E. verrucosa was widespread at the survey locations. Indicators of population condition, such as branching (a sign of healthy growth), were common, while signs of damage or disease were relatively rare. However, most images collected were of poor quality, meaning that only basic presence or absence could be recorded and more detailed analysis was limited.