FFS Walther Herwig III 388
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FFS Walther Herwig III (06NI) |
| Cruise identifier | 388 |
| Cruise period | 2015-09-22 — 2015-10-02 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Port of return | Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | The cruise was part of the German contribution to the international herring larvae surveys in the North Sea (IHLS). These surveys are conducted during the autumn and winter herring spawning activity. The studies monitor the spatial distribution and abundance of herring larvae on an annual basis. They are coordinated by ICES. The survey time series dates back to 1972. Almost all countries surrounding the North Sea have participated in the history of the IHLS, while in recent years the Netherlands and Germany contribute most to the surveys. The resulting survey index is used as an important estimator of herring spawning stock biomass and provides valuable information for herring stock assessment and the fixation of fishing quotas.
All stations were covered as scheduled in the Orkney/Shetland area and some additional samples were obtained from the Buchan area. The spatial distribution of the herring larvae was found to be in the usual pattern with larger concentrations of newly hatched larvae east of the Orkneys. However, conclusions for North Sea herring stock spawning biomass can only be drawn when information of larvae abundance from all spawning areas become available prior to the herring assessment working group meeting in March 2016. |
| Chief scientist | Nobert Rohlf (Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries, Hamburg) |
| Project | ICES International Herring Larvae Survey |
| Coordinating body | International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) |
| Cruise report |  (0.23 MB) |
| NPRC | (0.27 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
| Track charts | (0.17 MB) |