RV Cefas Endeavour 3/09
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 3/09 |
| Cruise period | 2009-02-19 — 2009-02-28 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | This R&D cruise was designed to estimate the distribution and abundance of plaice eggs and larvae in the Liverpool Bay spawning area, using various plankton sampling devices. Once a patch of eggs or larvae had been determined, fine scale acoustic grids and trawling was undertaken to estimate the distribution and abundance of predators. The predators were then sampled and frozen (either stomach contents or whole individuals) for subsequent analysis in an attempt to identify prey items by molecular techniques. |
| Chief scientist | Stephen Paul Milligan (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Project | PREDATE |
| Coordinating body | CEFAS |
| Cruise programme |  (0.02 MB) |
| Cruise report | (0.07 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel |
| Specific | Liverpool Bay |
| Track charts | (0.01 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| Water bottle stations | Quantity: number of stations = 21 Description: Sub-surface water bottle samples collected underway for salinity analysis on each plankton station. |
| Subsurface temperature and salinity measurements | Quantity: track kilometres = 1852 Description: Ferry box continuous logging of sub-surface (3m) salinity, temperature and fluorescence. |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 2 Description: Bioness multi-layer plankton sampler with 4 nets on each deployment. Individual animals removed and frozen. Rest of zooplankton samples analysed for fish eggs and larvae. |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 21 Description: Gulf VII type plankton sampler, deployed on double oblique 'V' profiles whilst steaming at 4.5 Kts. The samplers utilise a calibrated CTD. Zooplankton samples analysed for fish eggs and larvae only. |
| Pelagic fish | Quantity: number of stations = 10 Description: Sandeel trawl used to collect fish and benthos for stomach contents analysis |
| Pelagic fish | Quantity: number of stations = 14 Description: PHHT trawl used to collect fish and benthos for stomach contents analysis. |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of stations = 5 Description: 4m Beam trawl used to collect fish and benthos for stomach contents analysis. |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of stations = 14 Description: PHHT trawl used to collect fish and benthos for stomach contents analysis. |
| Crustaceans | Quantity: number of stations = 5 Description: 4m Beam trawl used to collect fish and benthos for stomach contents analysis. |
| Crustaceans | Quantity: number of stations = 14 Description: PHHT trawl used to collect fish and benthos for stomach contents analysis. |
| Acoustic reflection on marine organisms. | Quantity: track kilometres = 556 Description: 3 Acoustic survey grids (approx 100nmls each) searching for predators and prey. |
