RV Cefas Endeavour 04/18
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 04/18 |
| Cruise period | 2018-02-11 — 2018-03-12 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To carry out a otter trawl survey of the demersal fisheries resources in the Celtic Sea and western English Channel to assess stock identity and to provide more robust data to improve commercial fish stock assessments using a Jackson 19 otter trawl, standardised for fisheries monitoring purposes. The main aims are to examine: 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. f) Length weight & maturity information using individual fish measurements consistent with requirements of the EU Data Regulation. 2. To collect multibeam data and fisheries acoustic data at three operating frequencies (38, 120 & 200 kHz) and continuously throughout the survey. These data will be used to determine the spatial scale of various habitats. Narrative The first Q1 south-west otter trawl survey left Lowestoft on February 11th 2018 at 05:30 hours. Three shakedown tows and two additional plankton dips were completed in the North Sea before passage was made to the western English Channel where the survey began proper at approx. 22:00 hours February 13th. 18 full stations were completed successfully, including plankton ring net and ESM2 profiler + Niskin deployments, up until the morning of February 19th. Four invalid stations during this time were re-fished successfully. Scientific staff were exchanged in Mevagissey before heading east along the UK coast. Another 27 stations were completed here and towards the French coast, with four more invalid tows, two of which were re-fished successfully. Subsequently, after the survey resumed, another station was also successfully re-fished. The survey docked into Fowey at approx. 12:00 hours February 26th. Due to mechanical problems and weather, the survey did not resume until 18:00 hours March 7th. A further 17 stations were completed successfully in the western English Channel and Bristol Channel, with one invalid tow due to gear damage, which was not re-fished. The survey finished at approx. 14:00 hours March 12th 2018, docking in Swansea. |
| Chief scientist | Benjamin Hatton (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.54 MB) |
| Cruise report | (3.37 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | English Channel Bristol Channel Celtic Sea |
| Specific | Celtic Sea and Eastern Channel (ICES area VIIe to VIIj) |
| Track charts | (0.23 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of stations = 31 Description: 31 CTD casts; 28 with ESM2 profiler and 3 with CTD only |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of stations = 28 Description: Salinity samples collected at surface and bottom using niskin at 28 stations |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence) | Quantity: number of samples = 119 Description: Pigment and flow cytometry conducted over six days |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 64 Description: 60 stations completed with 200um plankton ring net for use with Plankton Image Analyser, 2 additional casts and 1 invalid. 1 sample retained for a secondary aim. |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of hauls = 76 Description: 62 stations completed with monk otter trawl, 10 invalid and 4 additional. |
| Taggings | Quantity: number of specimens = 242 Description: 242 elasmobranchs tagged with Petersen discs |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of samples = 5858 Description: Length distributions of all fish and selected shellfish/cephalopod species at every haul, plus 5858 biological samples, including otoliths collected for ageing purposes for commercial fish |
