Digital Aerial Surveys to support bird and marine mammal distribution and density modelling in the UK Celtic Sea area

2.1 General Requirements and timeline

Digital Aerial Surveys are required to provide relevant data and evidence that will be fed back into the creation of a regional bird and marine mammal density and distribution model for the target area (2.3). Key engagement with relevant stakeholders has been completed to gain agreement on the required methodology to support a regional characterisation approach.

Surveys will need to be complete with final report(s) and all survey footage provided by June 2023.

A fixed price is required to undertake and complete this activity

For the avoidance of doubt, the contract shall be for the delivery of survey data. The contractor shall remain fully responsible for all airborne and operational activities.

2.2 Survey design requirements

• The Digital Aerial Survey design will need to provide a minimum of 5% of the target area coverage.
• The Transect orientation has been agreed at South East(SE)/North West (NW) with Natural England and Natural Resources Wales as it is expected to run perpendicular to likely flight lines of important populations of breeding birds (e.g. Manx shearwater) whilst also possibly intersecting environmental gradients (e.g. thermal fronts). However, we would also ask tenderers to provide supporting information to help justify this aspect of the survey design as part of any submitted tender documentation.
• No buffer to the prescribed target area will be required.
• The tenderer will be responsible for meeting all required permissions and consents.
• Flight height data will not be required at this time.
• Seasonal coverage is expected.
• Processing of survey data and provision of survey report.

2.3 CSP target area

Target area details have been provided with this tender in GIS shapefile format with co-ordinates and other formats available on request. A fixed budget only is available, and we therefore request that tenderers start their survey design at the eastern target area boundary between Cornwall and Wales before progressing West as budgets allow. Maximum coverage is expected for Zone A as the priority, spreading West across Zone B as budget allows. The smaller separate Zone C target area off the south coast of Cornwall and Devon should form the last priority for target areas as budget allows.

The area coverage achievable in presented survey designs will form a key aspect of the tender scoring process as we seek to maximise spatial coverage to support the regional characterisation approach. Data quality will however also be critical to ensure the DAS support the creation of a valid evidence base.