RV Lough Foyle LF 4503
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Lough Foyle (74LG) |
| Cruise identifier | LF 4503 |
| Cruise period | 2003-11-09 — 2003-11-12 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To estimate the production of larvae herring in the Irish Sea in 2003 as part of the time series of biomass indices used by ICES for the assessment of herring in VIIa (N). 2. To collect and fix larvae for otolith extraction and growth analysis. Narrative The vessel sailed at 10:00 on 4 November, and upon leaving the mouth of Belfast Lough it soon became apparent that deployment of the sampler would be unsafe due to the sea state and gale force winds. The vessel then returned to Belfast and the survey was postponed for the remainder of the week, as severe gales were forecast. The vessel sailed again at 18:00 on the afternoon of the 9th November and the first station was sampled in marginal conditions, with each subsequent deployment carried out on the judgement of the watch leader and bridge officer. Deployments were irregular over the next three days with sampling halted on three occasions due to gale force winds. Fifty of sixty-two proposed stations were completed and the vessel returned to Belfast on the evening of the 12th November. |
| Chief scientist | Michael McAliskey (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland) |
| Cruise report |  (0.06 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel |
| Specific | Northern Irish Sea |
