Marine Biodiversity Data Portal - NI

Port More (Loughan), NE Coast.

[Site list for year 1985]

Survey number: 555 Event number: 19850101/22 Date: 1985-01-01 GPS: 55.17000,-6.03700. Depth: 3.5 to 0.2 m. [ View map ]

Site Description: The site was visited twice: first when the transect was surveyed, and second when the pool was surveyed. This was due to bad weather and poor light on the former occasion (NB - no dates given for either visit). The shore is a moderately exposed igneous (basalt) boulder shore situated in a small bay on the open coast. The location has block scree, ridges and outcrops and large/medium boulders, the latter being dominant. The transect site has large boulders with medium, small boulders and cobbles between throughout. A large tidal pool is present, approx. 30 m in diameter, and 1.5 m deep at the centre, forming the richest sub habitat. It has a bottom of small boulders and sand (may be seasonal). A cobbled area backs the shore above an extensive lichen zone. The size of the intertidal boulders allow large gaps between them forming sheltered habitats which are dominated by fucoids, forming a zonation which is also present around the pool. A rough Hydropunctaria maura (originally recorded as Verrucaria maura)/Porphyra zone occurs on the boulder tops above the fucoids. A meeting of tidal currents occurs approx. 1 km offshore, and can be seen distinctly at certain times, hence current strength may be constantly changing.