RV Cefas Endeavour 2/09
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 2/09 |
| Cruise period | 2009-02-07 — 2009-02-18 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
To examine Irish Sea cod at known spawning grounds in February, coinciding with the spawning season. To study their size and age composition and biological characteristics including maturity, fecundity, body condition and diet. Also, to study potential predators of cod eggs (incl herring, sprat); and as an additional objective, to tage and release plaice. Narrative Ship departed from Lowestoft on Feb 7 at 7am, in 2 days steamed to the eastern Irish Sea and from 9-11 Feb surveyed an area of known cod fishing activity off Morecambe Bay. From 12-17 Feb, an area rich in Nephrops west of Isle of Man was surveyed, and far more cod were encountered here than in the east. After having collected a rich dataset on cod, maturity, weight, fecundity, diet, etc., and also data on sprat and herring stomach contents; and having tagged many plaice, the survey was rounded off and RV Cefas Endeavour docked in Belfast on 18 Feb. |
| Chief scientist | Georg H Engelhard (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Project | MEMFISH (Cefas Project No. M 1102) |
| Coordinating body | Defra |
| Cruise programme |  (0.02 MB) |
| Cruise report | (0.83 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel |
| Specific | Morecame Bay; Isle of Man |
| Track charts | (0.30 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of stations = 75 Description: Portuguese high-headline trawl hauls targeting demersal fish including cod. |
| Acoustic reflection on marine organisms. | Quantity: activity duration in days = 9 Description: Acoustic recording of the transects along which stations were located (using multibeam) |
| Taggings | Quantity: number of stations = 3 Description: Tagged plaice were released at 3 stations |
