Bae Aberteifi SAC ~ Cardigan Bay SAC. Objective, limits and monitoring

4. Conservation objective, limits & monitoring

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Explanation of the structure of the conservation objective

4.3 The identification & selection of attributes for the Cardigan Bay bottlenose dolphins

4.4 Objectives, limits & monitoring

4.5 Current condition of the feature

4.6 Surveillance of additional features

4.7 Further work needed

4.4 Objective, limits and monitoring

The methods to be used in monitoring bottlenose dolphin abundance and distribution are currently being determined. Whilst the exact nature of the attribute and target values will be determined by the methods employed it is anticipated that; mean abundance within the SAC will initially be calculated annually but with seasonal means being used if possible; the distribution of the bottlenose dolphins will be determined by estimating mean abundance in several locations either annually or seasonally as appropriate.

Table 6. Cardigan Bay cSAC conservation objective performance indicators for monitoring favourable condition.

CONSERVATION OBJECTIVE – PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
To contribute to maintaining the Cardigan Bay cSAC bottlenose dolphin population in favourable condition, where the following attributes are recorded within their limits of acceptable change (LACs)
*Favourable Condition*
Attribute	Target and limits
Mean abundance of bottlenose dolphins within the cSAC	*Target: To be determined (long term) Upper LAC: None required Lower LAC*: ‘Current’ level (to be determined)
Mean abundance of bottlenose dolphins within areas X, Y, Z .... (selected areas, of greatest importance to the dolphins)	For each identified area: *Target: To be determined (long term) Upper Limit: None required Lower Limit*: ‘Current’ level (to be determined)