RV Corystes 0810H
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Corystes (74RY) |
| Cruise identifier | 0810H |
| Cruise period | 2010-05-19 — 2010-06-03 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To carry out mackerel egg survey (ICES Triennial Survey), on the western shelf and slope in the area from 55oN to 60o N suing the Gulf VII plankton sampler. 2. To collect adult samples of mackerel and horse mackerel, by trawling, for atresia and fecundity analysis. Narrative The mackerel egg survey is an internationally coordinated survey involving vessels from 10 countries. It is an adaptive survey that aims within a number of temporal periods spanning the full spawning season to delineate fully the geographical boundary of mackerel and horse mackerel spawning. This involves carrying out oblique plankton sampling dips using the Gulf 7 sampler down to a maximum of 200m depth, at regular 30' intervals along longitudinal transects until little or no early stage eggs are encountered. Corystes sailed from Greenock at 2130 on the evening of 20 May towards an area west of Islay to calibrate the flowmeters. She arrived at 0730 on 21 May ready to commence calibration trials on the sampler and flowmeters and after some initial issues regarding reconfiguration of the vessels Scanbas system Corystes was ready to head to the first station of survey period 4 located NW of the Donegal coast at 550 15N 8015W. After a successful deployment Corystes continued west along the 550 15N with only moderate and then low numbers of early stage mackerel eggs being encountered as the survey continued west off the continental shelf and into deeper water. Numbers began to increase again towards the Rockall Bank. Unfortunately, insurance restrictions imposed on the vessel resulted in Corystes only being able to survey to a maximum of 170 W, which during this survey was well in advance of the spawning boundary. This issue was to a large degree negated by the ability of the Norwegian vessel - that was surveying in the adjacent area south of Corystes - to divert effort to complete these stations west of |
| Chief scientist | Finlay Burns (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | ICES Triennial Survey |
| Cruise programme |  (0.14 MB) |
| Cruise report | (0.03 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | Western shelf and slope in the area from 55N to 60N |
| Track charts | (0.10 MB) |
