Fish Stomach Content & Benthic Sample Analysis

The Scottish Ministers, Marine Directorate, seek to appoint a suitably qualified Supplier to deliver specialist laboratory analysis in support of the ECOCHANGE programme. ECOCHANGE (Ecosystem Consequences of Changes to Habitats and implications for a Net Gain Energy approach) is investigating how marine growth on offshore wind infrastructure influences food web dynamics within the North Sea. The outputs of this contract will provide essential ecological evidence to inform Scotland’s Marine Nature Positive policy development. To support this work, the Supplier will analyse a range of marine biological samples collected across the North Sea. This includes up to 245 Day Grab sediment samples for infauna identification (ID), with most samples supplied frozen and up to 20% preserved in formalin for detailed ID, abundance and biomass assessment. Each grab sample set will also include a 50 ml subsample for Particle Size Analysis (PSA). The requirement further includes stomach content analysis of up to 730 frozen fish specimens, together with the assessment of 20 settlement panels to quantify marine growth and species composition. Together, these analytical components will allow ECOCHANGE to assess how offshore wind developments may be altering habitat structure, prey availability and trophic interactions across the North Sea.