Unknown fishing vessel 0612H
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | Unknown fishing vessel (ZZ99) |
| Cruise identifier | 0612H |
| Cruise period | 2012-10-16 — 2012-10-29 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Peterhead, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Peterhead, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To perform catch comparison trials on the following test case: an oval grid constructed from flexible polymer with bar spacing of 45mm and a bottom gap of 300mm rigged in the taper from the codline, used in conjunction with an 80mm diamond mesh codend. This test case may be subject to certain alterations during the course of the charter. These will be fully documented and further catch comparison trials will be undertaken as before. 2. To observe the rigging and behaviour of the flexible grid under fishing operations. Procedure Staff and equipment will join Amity II at Peterhead on 16 October 2012. Staff will then commence rigging the test gears to the vessels Nephrops trawls, configuring the scanmar setup and installing fish measuring stations aboard the vessel in Peterhead harbour. Time permitting the vessel will steam during the afternoon of 16 October to grounds relatively close by and undertake tows of short duration to ascertain optimal positioning and rigging of the grid using scanmar sensors and direct observation using cameras. This phase will be expected to inform on what adjustments, if any, to make to the test case during fishing trials. This phase is expected to take up no more than three days. Upon satisfactory results being obtained from this initial phase Amity will then steam offshore to Nephrops/whitefish grounds to perform fishing trials of the gear. Catch comparison data will be obtained using the twin trawl method. One side of the twin rig will fish a standard configuration of Nephrops trawl. Previous discussions have decided the standard rig will conform to section 7.3 of version 3.3 Conservation Credits scheme rules on TR2 gear. This configuration utilises a 3 metre long square mesh panel (SMP) of 110mm (nominal) mesh rigged no further than 15-18m from the codline and a standard sized codend. Catches from this will be compared against those from the other net in the pair which will, instead of the SMP, have the flexible grid installed at a suitable position. Both codends will be 80mm. Trawl geometry (doors, wings) will be monitored using the Scanmar system. The main target species will be cod, haddock, whiting and monk. Nephrops catches will be recorded by weight of each commercial size category. Other species may be additionally targeted as time and conditions permit. A scientific derogation has been obtained permitting fishing without a square mesh panel. It will also allow the landing any marketable fish, which will be offset against the cost of the charter. Ship's accommodation will be used throughout the fishing trials. A call at an appropriate port will be made approximately 21 October which will terminate Part 1 of the trials. This will allow landing of catch and staff changeover. Normal contacts will be maintained with the Laboratory. |
| Chief scientist | James Drewery (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.02 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
