FRV Alba Na Mara 1712A
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Alba Na Mara (74NM) |
| Cruise identifier | 1712A |
| Cruise period | 2012-10-06 — 2012-10-14 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Greenock, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Greenock, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To conduct an acoustic survey designed to survey both the open and enclosed areas of the Clyde to ultimately provide an estimate of the abundance and distribution of herring 2. To obtain samples of herring for biological analysis, including age, length, weight, sex, maturity and ichthyophonus infection. 3. All other species caught will be measured for length and weight to establish a length weight relationship. Procedure Fishing gear will be transported to Greenock by lorry on 4 October and loaded onto the vessel. Scientific staff will travel by mini-bus to Greenock to join the vessel on 5 October and the vessel will depart port on Saturday 6 October. The survey will be carried out within an area bounded by approx. 55°N to 56°N and 04° 40' W to 05° 40' W. Echointegration will be carried out at 38, 120 and 200 kHz. Data gathered in the hours of darkness will not be used for stock assessment. Trawling operations will be carried out as and when marks are identified. Otoliths will be collected from a sub-sample of the herring to determine age. The maturity state and. presence of Icthyophonus infection will also be recorded. The track will be similar to that carried out by FRV Clupea in 1991. The survey will involve following a pre-set survey pattern, at a steaming speed of 8 knots. The intention is to spend the first three days surveying the southern part of the area, weather permitting, finishing in Campbeltown to change Fishery Officers. The rest of the time left will be spent covering the northern part of the survey, finishing in Campbeltown to allow the Fishery Officer to disembark, before setting sail to be in Fraserburgh for the morning of the 14 October Staff will return to the laboratory on 14 October by minibus. Normal contact will be maintained with the Marine Laboratory. |
| Chief scientist | Eric Armstrong (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | SU02NP |
| Cruise programme |  (0.09 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland |
| Specific | Firth of Clyde |
