FRV Scotia 0413S
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Scotia (748S) |
| Cruise identifier | 0413S |
| Cruise period | 2013-04-17 — 2013-05-08 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To carry out mackerel egg survey (ICES Triennial Survey), on the western shelf and shelf edge in the area from 54N to 60N. 2. To collect fish samples, by trawling, for atresia and fecundity analysis back at the laboratory. Procedures The vessel will proceed to the first plankton station line at 59 45'N 5 15W. Plankton stations will be taken along the line 59 45'N at 30' intervals. Subsequent transects will be at 1oN intervals with stations at 30' E/W intervals. Plankton stations will be taken using the Gulf VII sampler with mounted CTD which will record salinity and temperature during the tow. The plankton tows will require the vessel to deploy then proceed to tow the sampler at five knots. The sampler will then be lowered at a steady rate (10m/min) from the plankton crane to within 5 m of the seabed or 200 m - whichever is shallower. The sampler will then be recovered at the same speed. Once aboard, plankton samples will be washed from the sampler net, fixed in formalin and scored for egg abundance. Trawl samples will be taken at the discretion of the scientist in charge but at least one trawl will be attempted at each 0.5 degree of latitude. There should be a maximum of 15 trawls for the whole survey, and will usually be taken at the shelf edge. The precise length of each transect cannot be defined in advance as this survey uses an adaptive design, where sampling along a line will continue until there are no or very small numbers of eggs. The half landing is expected to be in Ireland around 2 May and probably in Killybegs although depending on the progress of the other vessels sampling during this period Scotia may be asked to extend the range down to 53N which would see Galway as a possibility for a half landing. Following the half landing the survey will proceed back over the area covered in the first half with transects interlaced between those carried out during the first half. Normal contact will be retained with the laboratory throughout, and with other vessels taking part in the survey. |
| Chief scientist | Finlay Burns (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | ICES Triennial Survey |
| Coordinating body | International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.27 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Track charts | (0.25 MB) |
