Sunbeam 1314H
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | Sunbeam (74U2) |
| Cruise identifier | 1314H |
| Cruise period | 2014-06-29 — 2014-07-18 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To conduct an acoustic survey to enhance the precision of the survey carried out by MRV Scotia to provide an estimate of the abundance and distribution of herring in the northern North Sea (ICES area VI and VIa(N)) as part of the ICES International North Sea Herring Acoustic Survey. 2. To obtain samples of herring for biological analysis, including age, length, weight, sex, maturity and ichthyophonus infection. 3. To obtain frozen samples of sandeel for return to the Lab for analysis. Procedure All gear will be transported to Fraserburgh by lorry and furniture van on 27 June and gear will be loaded onto the vessel. Installation and testing will take place on 27 June. Scientific staff will travel by mini-bus to Fraserburgh to join the vessel on the evening of 28 June and the vessel will depart on the early morning of 29 June. MRV Scotia, which has previously only covered area IV, will be including the area Via(N) north of the Butt of Lewis The survey will be carried out within an area bounded by 58° 30'N to 62°N and 08°W to 2°E. Echointegration will be carried out at 38, 120 and 200 kHz. Data from the times between 2300 and 0300 will not be used for stock assessment. Trawling operations will be carried out when the skipper has identified commercially viable marks. Samples of all species caught will be measured for length and weight to establish a length-weight relationship. Otoliths will be collected from a sub-sample of the herring to determine age. The maturity state and. presence of Icthyophonus infection will also be recorded. The survey will involve following a pre-set survey pattern, at a steaming speed of approximately seven to ten knots, depending on the position of Scotia, relative to the charter vessel. A port call will take place at an approximate half way stage in Lerwick, to provide a rest day in accordance with working time directive for a trip of this length. A small dredge will be deployed, in areas of known sandeel habitat, to acquire and freeze samples for return to the laboratory for analysis. |
| Chief scientist | Eric Armstrong (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.08 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | Northwest of Scotland |
| Track charts | (0.07 MB) |
