 This is one of a series of presentations about the areas of search that are being put forward in the Welsh Marine Protected Area Network Completion Project. This project is being run by Welsh Government with technical support from Natural Resources Wales and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Areas of search are not marine conservation zone site proposals but represent a step in the process towards designating marine conservation zones in Welsh waters. Here is an illustration of the phase process moving towards selecting possible MCZs for consultation. We are currently between steps 2 and 3 in a period of wider engagement on the areas of search to gather additional information on activities and interests. We will be discussing the areas of search with interested sectors, stakeholders and communities and will be using this information to help identify possible MCZs. Once possible MCZs have been identified with the task and finish group, JNCC and NRW will provide pre-consultation advice ahead of Welsh Government's 12 week consultation. More information about this can be found on the project website. The shortfall features in area search B are the Broadscale Habitat Subtidal Course sediment which is coarse sand, gravels, pebbles and cobbles and is generally fairly mobile. Subtidal mix sediments which is a mixture of sediment types but always with mud present and is generally less mobile. The area of search is found entirely within the Irish Sea region to the west of Anglesey and is approximately 994 km2. It is mostly offshore and dominated by Subtidal Mixed sediment in the north and Subtidal Course sediment in the south. The area provides opportunities to address the shortfall for Subtidal Mixed sediment and could provide about 60% of the shortfall for Subtidal Course sediments. As it is almost entirely offshore it would provide opportunities for representation and connectivity of Subtidal Mixed sediments and Subtidal Course sediments in deep waters. At the broad area of search stage shortfall features that overlap with currently licensed activities and existing infrastructure were removed as they are incompatible with an MCZ designation. The area of search overview document shows these activities in more detail and is available on the project web page. The map on the left shows that there are limited licensed activities and existing infrastructure within this area. These include two oil pipelines across the area of search and an oil installation situated in the south of the area. For each area of search data was collated on activities that cause pressure which the shortfall features are sensitive to. However we do not have current comprehensive data on all activities to include at this point. We recognise that further discussions are needed to establish key areas for other activities. One dataset that we do have is the fishing activity interpreted from the vessel monitoring system data summed here for 2016-2018 on the right. Vessel monitoring system data is only collected on vessels of 12 metres and over and on some smaller scallop fishing boats. The scale bar shows indicative levels of effort from low to high but the ranges are not comparable between the gear types. We are aware of other fishing activity of under 12 vessels may occur within this area of search. Again this will be part of the wider engagement of getting information to feed into the process. Shortfall features present in area of search D are the board scale habitats, subtitle course sediment and subtitle mix sediment. The area is found completely offshore within the Irish Sea region to the west of Penthin and is approximately 575 kilometres squared. The area contains a mosaic of subtitle course and subtitle mix sediments which are assumed to be an equal 50-50 split of each habitat although the exact proportions are not known. The area has opportunities to fully address the shortfall for subtitle mix sediments and just over half of the subtitle course sediment shortfall within the Irish Sea. As it is entirely offshore, area of search D would include representation and connectivity of subtitle mix and subtitle course sediments within deeper waters. There are no licensed activities or existing infrastructure within area of search D and there is limited fishing from vessels of 12 metres and over. There may be other activities in this area and getting this extra information will be part of the wider engagement. Area of search E covers a number of shortfalls. These include the board scale habitats, subtitle course sediment and subtitle mix sediment and subtitle sand which are fine to medium sands and muddy sands. The important mud habitats in deep water and the species ocean quahog, arctica, icelandica, the large bivalve mollusk about the size of your fist that generally lives buried within the sediment and amazingly can live for up to 500 years. Area of search E is found on the boundary of the Irish Sea and Western Channel and Celtic Sea regions to the north and west of Pembrokeshire straddling the 12 nautical mile boundary. It covers approximately 880 kilometres squared of the inshore and offshore area. The area consists largely of subtitle course sediment and subtitle course and mix sediment mosaic with a small area of subtitle sand towards the centre. In the Western Channel and Celtic Sea area there are two records of ocean quahog and a record for mud habitats in deep water located within the subtitle course and mix sediment mosaic. There are opportunities to partially address the shortfalls in the Irish Sea for subtitle mix and subtitle course sediments, fully address the shortfalls for subtitle course sediment, subtitle sand and potentially ocean quahog within the Western Channel and Celtic Sea region. There is only one record for mud habitats in deep water and further evidence is needed to ensure that this would meet the shortfall. The map on the left shows that there are limited licence activities and existing infrastructure within area of search E. The area is within an oil and gas licence production area and there is an oil and gas pipeline that crosses the area. From the clated VMS data of vessels 12 metres and over shown in the maps on the right there are low levels of beam trawling, demersal trawling and dredging within this area. Limited other fishing activities are known from this area that are likely to interact with the seabed although we recognise this will be established through wider engagement. The shortfall features in area of search G.H. are the board scale habitats, subtitle sand, subtitle course sediment, subtitle mud, the species ocean quahog and the important habitats mud habitats in deep water and sea pens in burrowing megafauna communities. These are stable muds that support sea pens, a tall colonial anemone that resembles a quill and burrowing megafauna like the volcano worm and importantly in this area double in bay ponds or longer steams. The slender sea pen pictured here can be up to 60 centimetres tall and can glow in the dark. The area is found in the south west extent of Welsh offshore waters around Celtic deep. It is predominantly offshore and at 4526 kilometres squared it is huge. But please remember we are not looking to designate this whole area just using this area to focus attention when we come to select possible MCZ boundaries. The area is dominated by subtitle mud in the centre with subtitle sand surrounding it and patches of subtitle course sediment. Records of sea pens in burrowing megafauna communities are located across a subtitle mud extent with records of mud habitats in deep water also. A single ocean quahog record is present to the east of the area. The area of search provides the opportunity to address six shortfalls within the region and is the only opportunity to address the shortfalls for sea pens and burrowing megafauna communities. As it is predominantly offshore it will contribute greatly to the connectivity principle by providing broad scale habitat features within deeper waters. The map on the left shows the currently licensed activities and existing infrastructure within area of search GH. There is oil and gas activity with numerous pipelines crossing the area and floating offshore wind is also of interest. The vessel monitoring system data shown on the right highlights that this is an important fishing ground for UK and non UK vessels. There are potentially some under 12 vessels operating in this area and getting information on this and other activities that occur in this area is part of the wider engagement and there is a data call out to help with this process. As mentioned before, the area of search overview document gives more detail on activities and can be found on the project web page. For more information about the process, the areas of search put forward and how you can have your say, please visit the projects web page noted on the screen here.