1. Video Surveys Direct insights require clear water based on the Procedural Guideline 3-5 of the “Marine Monitoring Handbook”: Identifying biotopes using video recordings

2. Purpose identify and map habitats/biotopes identify and map habitats/biotopes identify megafauna and macrophyte species (including inicator species) identify megafauna and macrophyte species (including inicator species) ground truthing of acoustic surveys ground truthing of acoustic surveys identify suitable stations for further sampling identify suitable stations for further sampling baseline for future monitoring baseline for future monitoring

3. Visual Indicators of Environmental Stress dead animals dead animals specific behaviour of animals specific behaviour of animals lost food pellets lost food pellets methane bubbles methane bubbles filamentous algae filamentous algae mats of leucothiobacteria mats of leucothiobacteria garbage garbage

4. What do we need? Two skilled and experienced persons & helmsman Two skilled and experienced persons & helmsman A vessel with a stable working platform and preferably a dry cabin A vessel with a stable working platform and preferably a dry cabin A consumer-grade camcorder with housing, lighting, umbilical, and board-unit A consumer-grade camcorder with housing, lighting, umbilical, and board-unit frame or sledge for protection and positioning frame or sledge for protection and positioning (differential) GPS (differential) GPS echo-sounder echo-sounder computer/logger recording time, depth and position computer/logger recording time, depth and position Power Supply Power Supply

7. Survey Design could be random or stratified random (not explicitely specified in guideline) could be random or stratified random (not explicitely specified in guideline) standardise effort, e.g. boat drifts with the deployed camera a distance of 100 m standardise effort, e.g. boat drifts with the deployed camera a distance of 100 m seasonal variation of turbidity and weather conditions restrict the time of the survey seasonal variation of turbidity and weather conditions restrict the time of the survey in tidal areas the survey should be conducted around slack water in tidal areas the survey should be conducted around slack water clocks should be carefully synchronized clocks should be carefully synchronized handwritten field log with times and positions of deployments handwritten field log with times and positions of deployments

8. Data analysis Identify as many species as possible Identify as many species as possible Estimate abundances and size Estimate abundances and size Use standardised recording sheets Use standardised recording sheets After scoring a complete run use data to define biotopes/habitats (lower size limit 5m 2) After scoring a complete run use data to define biotopes/habitats (lower size limit 5m 2) Compare/match identified biotopes with national biotope classification (Connor et al. 1997) and regional/local biotope descriptions Compare/match identified biotopes with national biotope classification (Connor et al. 1997) and regional/local biotope descriptions

9. Quality Assurance Guidance and Training of personnel, especially for recognition of critical components of biotopes Guidance and Training of personnel, especially for recognition of critical components of biotopes Regional description of national biotopes Regional description of national biotopes Second opinion, ca. 10 % of the records should be double-checked Second opinion, ca. 10 % of the records should be double-checked A reference library of video clips and stills showing variatons of confirmed biotopes should be established A reference library of video clips and stills showing variatons of confirmed biotopes should be established

10. Time required 10-25 deployments can be achieved per day 10-25 deployments can be achieved per day One 100-m-deployment takes 10-20 min One 100-m-deployment takes 10-20 min scoring tapes takes about two to three times the real-time length of the video footage scoring tapes takes about two to three times the real-time length of the video footage required time for matching identified biotopes with national biotope classification? required time for matching identified biotopes with national biotope classification?