RV Cefas Endeavour 13/10
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 13/10 |
| Cruise period | 2010-08-07 — 2010-09-08 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Aims
1. To carry out a groundfish survey of the North Sea as part of the ICES coordinated IBTS, using a standard GOV trawl in order to obtain information on: a) Distribution, size composition and abundance of all fish species caught. b) Age - length distribution of selected species. c) Distribution of fish in relation to their environment. d) Distribution of macrobenthos and anthropogenic debris. e) Surface and bottom temperature and salinity data using CTD rosette and Niskin Bottle. f) Length weight & maturity information using individual fish measurements, in support of the EU Data Regulation. 2. Fish selected stations with 'Poly GOV' in Northern area of the sampling grid. 3. Carry out water sampling for Caesium/Tritium for an internal Cefas contract (SLA21). 4. Collect samples of sea water from offshore sites for low nutrient water analysis by nutrients lab at Cefas. 5. Collect live specimens of buried edible crab, and lobster for the Cefas aquarium at Lowestoft. 6. Collect and fertilise herring eggs onto plates, and incubate in continuous seawater tanks for Cefas aquarium at Lowestoft. 7. Tag and release specimens of cuckoo ray (Leucoraja naevus), common skate (Dipturus batis species-complex), spurdog (Squalus acanthias) and tope (Galeorhinus galeus), in support of Defra projects MB5201 and MB5202. 8. Collect 100 gill samples from Saithe, to examine the DNA-structure of the population in the North Sea in 2010, for the Institute of Marine Research, Norway. 9. Collect herring scales for isotope analysis of stock structures for studies at the University of Southampton and Cefas. 10. Retain by freezing any species which are unusual to the North Sea for ID guide. 11. Retain by freezing whole samples or otoliths of the more unusual species to the North Sea for otolith research. 12. Retain by freezing whole samples of anchovy for studies at the University of Basque Country and AZTI institute. 13. Maturity photos (using protocol) of lemon sole, brill and turbot. 14. Record litter caught in the trawl in support of Defra projects. 15. Record sightings of sea birds and cetaceans for JNCC and Sea Watch Foundation. 16. To determine the diversity of the phytoplankton in relationship with biotic and abiotic conditions. 17. Primary Production and Optics: To calibrate the primary production fluorimeter installed in the Ferrybox setup on Cefas Endeavour. The Turner Phytoflash response will be compared to that of two other commercially-available fluorimeters which will be set to measure continuously in the flowing seawater supply. 18. To determine the variability in key phytoplankton optical and photophysiological parameters from surface and mid-depth waters along the route of the cruise. To perform light and dark acclimation experiments of phytoplankton collected from the flow-through system along the cruise track. 19. To measure profiles of underwater light at all stations on the cruise. 20. Investigate the extent of low oxygen areas that may occur in the southern North Sea and further understand the processes leading to oxygen depletion over the North Sea as a whole. By: a) Deploying the ESM2 logger at many stations over night in the stratified area of the North Sea Oyster grounds to quantify the spatial extent of low oxygen issues. If time permits conduct experiments on oxygen consumption beneath the thermocline. b) Conduct experiments on oxygen consumption, beneath, above and in the thermocline. |
| Chief scientist | Sophy McCully Phillips (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Project | IBTS Quarter 3 Survey |
| Coordinating body | IBTSWG |
| Cruise programme |  (0.11 MB) |
| Cruise report | (1.71 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
| Specific | Southern North Sea (ICES Division IV) |
| Track charts | (0.06 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Pelagic fish | Quantity: number of stations = 21 Description: Length distributions of fish species caught, along with biological information. |
| Pelagic fish | Quantity: number of hauls = 75 Description: GOV otter trawl deployed at various locations |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of stations = 21 Description: Length distributions of fish species caught, along with biological information. |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of hauls = 75 Description: GOV otter trawl deployed at various locations |
