RV Cefas Endeavour 04/11
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 04/11 |
| Cruise period | 2011-02-18 — 2011-03-04 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Portland Harbour, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Objectives
To examine Irish Sea cod at known spawning grounds in February-March, 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 (including herring, sprat); and as an additional objective, to tag and release elasmobranches. Also, to study marine floating debris. Narrative The ship departed from Swansea on Feb 18th, then steamed to the western Irish Sea and surveyed the area between Dublin and west of the Isle of Man. Cod were sampled using Portuguese high-headline trawl, at about the same catch rates as in two previous years and found to feed exclusively on Nephrops and various fish species. On the night of 27-28 February, the RV steamed over to the eastern Irish Sea, where very few cod had been observed in this survey in 2009, but where cod were now found to have increased to levels similar to those in the western Irish Sea. On 2 March, the return voyage to Portland was commenced; the ship docked there on March 4. Throughout this survey, 54 Manta Trawl hauls were carried out to survey marine floating debris. |
| Chief scientist | Georg H Engelhard (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Project | MEMFISH (CEFAS/Defra project M1102) |
| Coordinating body | Defra |
| Cruise report |  (0.51 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel |
| Specific | Irish Sea |
| Track charts | (0.19 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Contamination | |
| Other contaminant measurements | Quantity: number of hauls = 54 Description: 54 Manta trawl hauls to sample marine floating debris |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of hauls = 96 Description: 96 Portuguese high-headline trawl hauls targeting demersal fish including cod. |
| Taggings | Quantity: number of specimens = 15 Description: Tagged and released elasmobranches |
