Resources

RV Cefas Endeavour 5/08

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9)
Cruise identifier5/08
Cruise period2008-03-04 — 2008-03-17
StatusCompleted
Port of departureSwansea, United Kingdom
Port of returnSwansea, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesAims

To support the Data Collection Regulations using the PHHT or 4m beam trawl depending on tow information to sample the following species in priority order:

Megrim (10 per cm per ICES Division)
Anglers (all fish due to low catch rates)
Mackerel (10 per cm survey total)
Cod (all fish due to low catch rates)
Hake (10 per cm survey total)
Rays (10 per cm survey total)
Sole (10 per cm by stock)
Plaice (10 per cm by stock)

Narrative: (All times GMT)

Cefas Endeavour sailed from Swansea at 1500h on 4 March and a shakedown tow was successfully carried out in Cardigan Bay, using the PHHT before steaming west to start the collection of survey data. On 5 March, 4 tows were fished successfully but on the second tow on 6 March, the trawl was hauled and was damaged from the belly through to the codend and the tow was deemed invalid. There was no obvious sign from the Scanmar readings to suggest when this occurred. The net was repaired by 1600h but the weather had deteriorated and no more fishing could occur that day. At daybreak, the weather had moderated enough for the vessel to turn east and steamed back towards a previously clear station. At 1311h the net was shot but when hauled 30 minutes later the net was torn from the belly and both wings and the fishing line had parted. The catch was worked up for biological samples but was entered into the fishing survey system as an additional tow. Given the still marginal weather, the decision was taken to swap over to the 4m-beam trawl. In order to do this safely, the vessel steamed to shelter and the beam was rigged ready to deploy the next morning. On 8 March, 7 successful beam trawl tows were fished before lunch, on the 8th tow of the day, survey station 16, the catch seemed small in comparison to the previous ones that day, so the beam was brought onboard and two holes were found in the belly of the net. These were repaired and the beam was successfully redeployed for a further five tows that day. Overnight the vessel steamed southwards and at daybreak fished successfully on the WCGFS prime station 3 for five valid tows. At lunchtime we steamed northwest to a clear station used on the quarter 4 IBTS survey, and deployed the 4m beam trawl gear for a further six valid tows. With a forecast of severe storm force winds, Cefas Endeavour steamed North East to a safe anchorage in Bullen's Bay in the South of Ireland. The vessel anchored there until the morning of 12 March when, with the forecast giving no moderation to the West and South Westerly gales, the decision was taken to move the vessel to the South West Irish Sea and with PHHT on, fish in more sheltered waters in this area. On 12 March, during the steam to the Irish Sea, four more PHHT stations were fished within the primary survey area. At 0600h on 13 March, the PHHT was deployed and a successful tow was completed by 0700h. However, the outlook for the next 3 days had changed and given the now good forecast, the decision to return to the primary survey area was taken and the vessel steamed back into the South Western approaches, ready to deploy the gear on the shelf edge early on 14 March. The gear was deployed as planned and four valid tows were fished during the day, with the third of the day being deployed in 500m. During this station, the warps from the net drums were run off to 2350m in order to respool them after they were end-to-ended in Aberdeen. Throughout the day, catch rates were not as hoped for the target species, the PHHT was swapped out overnight, and the 4m beam trawl was used for the last day of fishing. On Saturday 15 March, ten valid beam trawl stations were fished and the last survey station was hauled at 1809h and the vessel headed for Swansea to dock at 0100h on Monday 17 March.
Chief scientistAlexander N Tidd (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory)
Coordinating bodyCEFAS
Cruise programmeRV Cefas Endeavour 5/08 cruise programme endeavour5_08.pdf  (0.01 MB) 
Cruise reportRV Cefas Endeavour 5/08 cruise report endeavour5_08.pdf (0.11 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralBristol Channel
Celtic Sea
SpecificCeltic Sea
Track chartsRV Cefas Endeavour 5/08 cruise track — endeavour5_08trk.pdf (0.04 MB)