ISO 16665:2014

Water quality - Guidelines for quantitative sampling and sample processing of marine soft-bottom macrofauna

ISO 16665:2014 provides guidelines on the quantitative collection and processing of subtidal soft-bottom macrofaunal samples in marine waters.

ISO 16665:2014 encompasses: a) development of the sampling programme; b) requirements for sampling equipment; c) sampling and sample treatment in the field; d) sorting and species identification; e) storage of collected and processed material.

ISO 16665:2014 does not specifically address the following, although some elements may be applicable: bioassay sub-sampling; deep water (>750 m) or offshore sampling; in situ faunal studies, e.g. recolonization assays; non-benthic organisms caught in the sampling device; estuarine sampling; intertidal sampling; meiofaunal sampling and analysis; sampling by dredge and sledge; self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) sampling; statistical design.

Accuracy of position fixing is determined by the geographical area, equipment used and survey objective.

To comply with a standard, you need to quickly understand its issues in order to determine its impact on your activity.

The Requirements department helps you quickly locate within the normative text:
- mandatory clauses to satisfy,
- non-essential but useful clauses to know, such as permissions and recommendations.

The identification of these types of clauses is based on the document “ISO / IEC Directives, Part 2 - Principles and rules of structure and drafting of ISO documents ”as well as on a constantly enriched list of verbal forms.

With Requirements, quickly access the main part of the normative text!

The Redline + service - standards comparator allows you to easily and simply identify major changes between the current standard and its last canceled version.

At a glance, you will be able to identify the additions, deletions or modifications to a text, table, figure and formula.


The Redlines + service is offered to you on the collection of French standards in force, in French language and in HTML and PDF format.

For an overview of the service, click on View a standard in redline format

COBAZ is the simple and effective solution to meet the normative needs related to your activity, in France and abroad.

Available by subscription, CObaz is THE modular solution to compose according to your needs today and tomorrow. Quickly discover CObaz!

Request your free, no-obligation live demo

I discover COBAZ