Habitat point records from 1985 Smith Loch Torridon and Loch Carron survey

Loch Torridon and Loch Carron are two sea loch complexes in Wester Ross on the west coast of Scotland. Both have basins over 100 m deep. Each has an inner loch 8 - 10 km long and 1 - 3 km wide, a middle section which in Loch Torridon is composed of the upper narrows, Loch Shieldaig and an outer narrows, in Loch Carron consists of Strome Narrows and the shallows which extend westwards past Plockton. The outer parts of both lochs are bigger and deeper than the inner, that of Loch Torridon faces north-west and is moderately exposed/exposed in part, while outer Loch Carron and its upper arm Loch Kishorn, face south-west to Skye and are moderately sheltered. Most of the coasts, both littoral and sublittoral, are bedrock or boulders which pass down into gravels, sands or muds. There are extensive shore gravel and/or sand flats at the heads of the lochs and in Loch Kishorn and the Plockton area, where maerl is widespread at low water downwards. Most, very sheltered to moderately exposed habitats have been found. The only exposed area is at the outer end of Loch Torridon. Flora is moderately rich, but sublittorally has suffered greatly from drastic overgrazing by Echinus esculentus. Concommitantly, the fauna is also reduced. Mollusca and lobsters being the chief sufferers. Sessile animals also were in low numbers in many places. The places least affected were those not accessable to urchins by virtue of overhang or current strength. The fauna of soft bottoms was of considerable interest and rich in Mollusca and Polychaeta. Species of interest included a great variety of Echinoderms, the dominant phylum, Ophiothrix echinata was abundant, holothurians numerous and Hippasteria phrygiana, here at the southern limit of its range, was recorded. There were a number of Mollusca which have been recorded rarely in west Scotland, including Scissurella crispata, Margarites argentatus, Teretia anceps, Eubranchus vittatus, Onchidella celtica and Arcopagia balaustina. Areas of outstanding interest included, in Loch Torridon: sediment plains in Loch Shieldaig and Upper Loch Torridon, Upper Loch Torridon narrows, Ob Mheallaidh lagoon and rapids complex. In Loch Carron: Strome narrows (tidal streams), pebble beds, maerl beds off Plockton, Modiolus beds. Many places are of considerable marine biological importance and of conservation and educational value. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.