A detailed map and dataset of sedimentary habitats of the Milford Haven Waterway (MHW) was compiled for the Milford Haven Waterway Environmental Surveillance Group (MHWESG) from seafloor images collected in May, 2012 using sediment-profile and plan-view imaging (SPI/PV) survey techniques.
Sediment profile imaging (SPI) technology has been used in some form since 1969 to investigate the structure and appearance of near-surface aquatic sediments.
Explosive growth in international trade over the past 30 years has increased the need for dredging to maintain navigable waterways in ports and harbors worldwide.
Documentation of long-term change in benthic ecosystems is important for assessing and managing the effects of change.
Ten years ago, sediment profile photography was proposed as an efficient technique for in situ documentation of organism-sediment relations (Rhoads and Cande, 1971). This technique has not gained wide acceptance because it was not supported by theory to interpret sediment profile images.