NMBAQC

Epibiota

Contract Manager: James Strong, AFBI

Component Administrator (2007 - 2009): Envision

Epibiota Video Ring Test Pilot

Remote photography/video is increasingly being used in survey and monitoring work as a means of investigating the benthic environment. Thus far QA work has been carried out on the methods to produce protocols for undertaking the surveys themselves and ensuring the best results from use of video and stills. However, less work has gone into the QA of the interpretation of the images produced. While some ad hoc QA has taken place there are as yet no recognised standards for this process. The focus of this work is to be on the assessment of footage itself rather than in fieldwork methodologies - the hope is that we will be able to have QA of image "samples" in the same way we currently undertake QA of traditional biological samples.

The NMBAQC's Epibiota Video Ring Test Pilot was run over 2008 - 2009 and involved three tests and a concluding workshop. The final report, ring test reports and workshop proceedings from this video ring test pilot are available on the Epibiota Reports page. 

The NMBAQC planned to run a video ring test in Autumn 2010, to follow on from the lessons learnt in the Video Ring Test Pilot. This ring test has now been postponed and will be carried out in Autumn 2011.

Questionnaire for the NMBAQC's Epibiota component - the review of video/stills analysis

The Epibiota Video Ring Test Pilot highlighted a lack of standard methods for analysis of video and still images in the UK. Before any further ring tests or workshops are developed through the NMBAQC there is a need to collate and review existing video/stills analysis procedures used by organisations in the UK. 

In January 2010 participants from the Epibiota Video Ring Test Pilot were sent a questionnaire designed to assess existing video/stills analysis procedures in the UK.  Questionnaire results with a review of the current state of video/stills analysis procedures were published in June 2010.

This review will help inform the production of standard monitoring protocols and will lead to further work in the Epibiota component of the NMBAQC which will ensure the consistency and quality of video data collected in the UK (which is now integral to work carried out for many European directives such as the Water Framework and Marine Strategy Framework Directives).