FRV Scotia 1106S
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Scotia (748S) |
| Cruise identifier | 1106S |
| Cruise period | 2006-07-01 — 2006-07-21 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To conduct an acoustic survey to estimate the abundance and distribution of herring in the north western North Sea and north of Scotland between 58º15-61.45'N and 4ºW to 2ºE, excluding Faroese waters. 2. To obtain biological samples for echosounder trace identification using a pelagic trawl. 3. To obtain samples of herring for biological analysis, including age, length, weight, sex, maturity, ichthyophonus infection and fat content. 4. To obtain hydrographic data for comparison with the horizontal and vertical distribution of herring. 5. To obtain plankton samples map the distribution and abundance of zooplankton. 6. To test the multisampling pelagic cod-end. 7. To test the new Methot Isaacs Kidd nets. 8. To obtain holographic images of the low frequency scattering layer. Narrative All gear was loaded in Aberdeen on 28 June. Scientific staff joined the vessel at 0800 UTC on 1 July and it departed at 0930 on the same day. A small meeting was held with all scientists to explain the objectives of the survey and to describe general operating procedures. The survey commenced just outside Aberdeen at 1000 on 1 July. Transects progressed northwards along lines of latitude, at spacings of 15 or 7.5 nautical miles (nmi). Transect spacing was based on the results of previous surveys and transects were placed relative to ICES rectangles. Transects extended as far east as 1 45E, and as far as safely possible to the west, on approaching the coast. Calibration of all four transducers took place in Scapa Flow in the early hours of the morning of Tuesday 4 July and the survey resumed afterwards at 0935 of the same day. A half landing took place on 11 July in Lerwick in accordance with rest provision for the working time directive and for the exchange of personnel (Alex Brown and Palap Tiptus for Nick Burns and Hongyue Sun). The vessel resumed surveying at 1100 on 12 July. West of the Shetland Isles, transects extended from the coast to the shelf edge or longitude 4 west. The survey was completed on 20 July at 1245. All four transducers were calibrated successfully once again in Scapa Flow on 20 July. The vessel returned to Aberdeen on the morning of 21 July. |
| Chief scientist | Paul G Fernandes (Fisheries Research Services Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | RVO606 |
| Coordinating body | FRS |
| Cruise report |  (0.03 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | Northern North Sea and north of Scotland |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| Subsurface temperature and salinity measurements | Quantity: number of deployments = 49 Description: A number of deployments of the ARIES vehicle were made during the cruise. Plankton samples were collected. |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of deployments = 49 Description: A number of deployments of the ARIES vehicle were made during the cruise. Plankton samples were collected. |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of hauls = 40 Description: A number hauls took place during the cruise. 2563 herring were sampled for weight, sex, maturiy and otoliths. |
| Gear research | Description: Multisampler trials took place during the cruise, effective at first but failed towards the end of the cruise. No. of trials not noted. |
