Bountiful 1208H
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | Bountiful (74B0) |
| Cruise identifier | 1208H |
| Cruise period | 2008-08-04 — 2008-08-16 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To measure the selectivity of an 80mm diamond mesh codend with a 110mm square mesh panel rigged into the trawls tapered section and positioned 15-18m from the codline. 2. To measure the selectivity of an 80mm diamond mesh codend with a 120mm square mesh panel rigged into the trawls tapered section and positioned 15-18m from the codline. 3. To measure the selectivity of an 80mm diamond mesh codend with a 110mm square mesh panel rigged into the leading edge of the trawls straight extension and positioned 15-18m from the codline. 4. If time allows as Objective 3 but with a 120mm square mesh panel. 5. To assess the total populations entering both the test and control trawls by using 40mm diamond mesh codends rigged to both gears. Narrative Staff and fishing gear joined Bountiful at Fraserburgh on 4 August 2008. Staff commenced rigging the fishing gear and fish measuring station aboard the vessel alongside Fraserburgh harbour. The vessel sailed at 0300 hours on the 5 August to commercial Nephrops fishing grounds approximately 35 nmiles east of Fraserburgh. Thereafter selectivity hauls were made in this area using the test cases detailed in Objectives 1 and 2 for the remainder of the first week. The vessel returned to Fraserburgh on the morning of 9 August to land the marketable Nephrops and fish catches with staff returning to Aberdeen until the morning of 11 August. During the first week of the trials, it became apparent that for Nephrops the test trawl appeared to slightly outfish the control trawl. Therefore, in an effort to assess the populations of Nephrops entering both sides of the twin trawl system the decision was made to carry out comparative hauls using 40mm diamond mesh codends (Objective 5) attached to both trawls. The vessel sailed on the morning of 11 August to commercial Nephrops ground in the Moray Firth approximately 8 nmiles from Fraserburgh and completed three comparative hauls. The test trawl was re-rigged with the SMP test configuration outlined in Objective 2 and sailed back to the ground targeted during the first week of the trials. Thereafter selectivity hauls were made for the remainder of the cruise using the test cases outlined in Objectives 2 to 4. During the evening of 15 August, the vessel sailed to the Moray Firth and made one final haul on 16 August before landing into Fraserburgh. The cruise ended on 16 August with all staff and fishing gear returning to Aberdeen. |
| Chief scientist | Robert J Kynoch (Fisheries Research Services Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Coordinating body | FRS |
| Cruise programme |  (0.02 MB) |
| Cruise report | (0.02 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
| Specific | Moray Firth |
