FRV Scotia 1108S_2
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Scotia (748S) |
| Cruise identifier | 1108S_2 |
| Cruise period | 2008-09-12 — 2008-09-23 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Killybegs, Ireland |
| Port of return | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | FRS Objectives
1. To map the composition, distribution and abundance of continental slope species including anglerfish (Lophius spp.) on the deepwater slope west of the Hebrides and Rosemary Bank 2. Identify, quantify, and record all benthic invertebrate species caught. 3. Collect temperature at depth during all hauls using a data storage tag attached to the trawl headline. 4. Collect biological samples (genetics and otoliths) for key species for population studies as requested. 5. Collect additional biological data in connection with the EU Data Directive 1639/2001. 6. Collect tissue, liver, and otolith samples for contaminant analyses. Narrative Following the half-landing and personnel change over in Stornoway, Scotia sailed at 08.00 hrs on the 12 September making passage south down the Minch to arrive on station on the shelf slope the following morning to recommence the deepwater trawl survey. A series of 2 hour hauls were undertaken at 500, 1000, 1500 and1700 m depths from 06.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs (See Map 1). The night-time was used to steam between stations or make opportunistic sounding of areas of interest for survey work. On 14 September, FRV Scotia and RV Celtic Explorer of the Marine Institute in Ireland coordinated operations and undertook 3 hauls for comparative purposes in ICES square 39D9. After this the survey continued as before to the north in ICES square 41EO. On the night of 16 September, Scotia made soundings over the crown of the Hebridean Terrace Seamount, a potential site for future TV habitat surveys. The following day Scotia was informed of MOD operations that required all vessels to vacate the area currently under survey (ICES squares 44EO and 43EO). In compliance, passage was made north of 58 ° and the survey recommenced the next day in square 45EO. That night Scotia returned south to complete the unfinished work in ICES squares 44EO and 43EO. In order to get back on schedule some tow durations was reduced to 1 hour on that day. Overnight passage was made to Rosemary bank to arrive at 06:00 hrs on 19 September. Three hauls were completed on the bank at 600, 800, and 900m and a further haul was made at 1500 m to the east of the bank at the northern rise of the Rockall Trough. Overnight passage was made to the continental shelf edge and the set of trawl stations in ICES squares 46E1 and 46E2 completed on 20 September. The plan to recover a lost lander at the Buzzard oil field was cancelled on 21 September by the oil company and the remainder of the day was spent trawling stations in ICES square 47E1. Scotia began passage to Aberdeen on the night of 21 September, docking and unloading in Aberdeen the morning of 23 September. |
| Chief scientist | Francis C Neat (Fisheries Research Services Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | Deepwater survey |
| Cruise programme |  (0.11 MB) |
| Cruise report | (0.24 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | Deepwater slope west of the Hebrides and Rosemary Bank |
| Track charts | (0.08 MB) |
