RV Cefas Endeavour 20/15
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 20/15 |
| Cruise period | 2015-09-10 — 2015-09-30 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Portland Harbour, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Aims
1. To carry out a 4m beam-trawl survey of groundfish, obtain fisheries independent data on the distribution and abundance of commercial flatfish species and ii) derive age compositions of sole, plaice, cod and whiting for use in stock assessments. 2. To collect biological data including maturity and weight at age of sole, plaice, lemon sole and other commercially important finfish species as part of CEFAS' requirements under the EU Data Collection Framework. 3. To determine the distribution and relative abundance of juvenile and adult sole and plaice. 4. To collect surface & bottom temperature/salinity data using CTD and Niskin Bottle. 5. To quantify epibenthos using 4m beam trawl by-catch. 6. Collect length/weight & maturity information using individual fish measurements, in support of the EU Data Collection Framework. 7. To collect surface seawater samples for processing on return to Lowestoft for the analysis of tritium. 8. To collect fish samples in support of other Cefas and non-Cefas projects and training courses. 9. To collect water alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and nutrient samples. Plan RV Cefas Endeavour will sail from Lowestoft and head directly to the first priority sampling 'grid' in the inner Bristol Channel (BCI). Upon completion of the BCI survey grid, RV Cefas Endeavour will then head north, fishing stations on route to the other priority sampling grids in the Irish Sea south and north sectors (ISS/ISN). Once completed, the remaining survey grids of Irish Sea West (ISW), St. Georges Channel (SGC) and Bristol Channel outer (BCO) will be fished. At the first and last fishing stations of each working day, a CTD profile and associated surface and bottom salinity samples will be collected. Each morning, total alkalinity, nutrients and DIC samples will also be collected. It is anticipated that a mid-survey break will occur around day twelve of the survey (~22nd September with the location likely to be Douglas, IOM. This will allow for a changeover of scientific staff and vessel's officers and crew and for the vessel to take on fresh supplies and water. At the end of the survey, RV Cefas Endeavour will dock in Portland on 30 September; unloading of equipment will be carried out the same day. |
| Chief scientist | Stephen Shaw (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.08 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel Bristol Channel Celtic Sea |
| Specific | ICES areas VIIa and VIIfg |
| Data held at BODC | |
| Discrete samples | |
| 18 Sample taken from ship's non-toxic supply |
