The study, which is being led by the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the National Museums & Galleries of Wales (NMGW) is designed to deliver key information about the area in question, and produce a robust assessment of the nature of the seabed.

The study includes six main work phases, the first being a marine geophysics survey with multibeam, sidescan and sub-bottom seismic reflection systems. The second phase is a sediment and benthic fauna survey, and the third cooperative effort to gather and utilise any multibeam, geophysical and biological data available on the Outer Bristol Channel. The aim of Phase Four of the study is to integrate new and archive geophysical, geological and biological survey data to produce comprehensive interpretations of marine species, habitats and biodiversity distributions within the study area.

Phase Five will provide physical, geological and biological data as baseline criteria for the sustainable development of seabed resources, including fisheries, aggregates and wind farms, and inform the planning and regulatory process with regard to marine conservation, and national and EU legislation.

As well as providing key information through maps, reports and scientific publications, Phase Six of the project will seek to make its results available to a wider audience by disseminating findings through a bilingual multimedia CD-ROM (in English and Welsh), web pages, museum exhibitions and outreach awareness sessions at education institutions such as universities, colleges, schools, societies and interest groups throughout Wales, and particularly around the survey area of south west Wales.

The research vessel Prince Madog (which is operated by University of Wales Bangor) has been used to conduct initial surveys and produce a series of 12 underwater video/ photographic tows, and a team of five has been employed since October of last year to sort and help identify the invertebrate animals in the samples.

A geophysics cruise undertaken by the BGS was used to obtain multibeam data and sidescan data, and further geophysics and sampling took place this summer.

Apart from the principal funders, the British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA) has also supported the study with some funding and contributions of data, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Llanelli Sand Dredging have also provided data.