RV Corystes CORY 5A/06
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Corystes (74RY) |
| Cruise identifier | CORY 5A/06 |
| Cruise period | 2006-09-15 — 2006-10-05 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | AIMS:
1. To carry out a 4m beam-trawl survey of groundfish to i) obtain fisheries independent data on the distribution and abundance of commercial flatfish species, and ii) derive age compositions of sole and plaice for use in the assessment of stock size. 2. To collect biological data including weight and age at maturity of sole, plaice, lemon sole and other commercially important finfish species as part of CEFAS' requirements under the EU data regulations. 3. To determine the distribution and relative abundance of juvenile and adult sole and plaice. 4. To quantify epibenthos using 4m beam trawl by-catch. 5. To collect surface sea-water samples for processing on return to Lowestoft for the analysis of caesium and tritium (AE001) (D McCubbin EFS). 6. To collect fish samples in support of other CEFAS projects and training courses. 7. To collect samples in support of a project on the molecular identification of fish species project (DNA bar-coding). 8. To trial a new 4m beam trawl for comparability with other CEFAS sets of gear. NARRATIVE: (All times GMT) RV CORYSTES sailed from Belfast at 1334h on the same day. Fishing commenced in the Irish Sea West sector at 1807h and one further survey station was fished en-route to the Bristol Channel Inner (BCI) survey grid. The first priority survey grid (BCI) was commenced at 1252h on 16 September. Fine weather ensured that RV CORYSTES was able to complete the BCI grid ahead of schedule and also fish a number of Bristol Channel Outer (BCO) stations prior to leaving the area. The BCI survey grid was completed at 1410h, 19 September. With strong southerly gales forecast for the following days, RV CORYSTES steamed north to continue the survey in the Irish Sea South (ISS) and Irish Sea North (ISN) sectors. Fishing commenced here at 1033h on 20 September and continued until 1340h on 23 September when the survey was suspended and RV CORYSTES steamed to Whitehaven. |
| Chief scientist | Ian David Holmes (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Coordinating body | CEFAS |
| Cruise report |  (0.25 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel Bristol Channel Celtic Sea |
| Specific | Irish Sea, Bristol Channel & Celtic Sea |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| Surface measurements underway (T,S) | Description: AFBI Seabird continuous logging system |
| Water bottle stations | Quantity: number of samples = 41 Description: 1 litre surface water sample |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of stations = 109 Description: SAIV Micro CTD was attached to 4m beam trawl |
| Subsurface temperature and salinity measurements | Quantity: number of measurements = 1 Description: CTD continuous monitoring |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids) | Quantity: number of samples = 220 Description: muscle specimens from 35 species of fin fish for DNA bar-coding |
| Zoobenthos | Quantity: number of stations = 25 Description: samples of epi-benthic by-catches sorted and 32 'core species' identified and quantified |
| Pelagic fish | Quantity: number of hauls = 119 Description: beam trawls |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of hauls = 119 Description: beam trawls |
| Demersal fish | Description: cod, plaice, dab and sole for National Monitoring Programme |
| Taggings | Quantity: number of species = 9 Description: bullhuss tagged and released |
| Gear research | Description: comparative fishing tows |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Description: jellyfish measurements |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of specimens = 2 Description: requiring species and sex identification were frozen |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of specimens = 10 Description: red mullet frozen for age analysis |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Description: pelagic fish, demersal fish and crustacean specimens collected for radiological monitoring programme |
