RV Cefas Endeavour 04/19
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 04/19 |
| Cruise period | 2019-03-17 — 2019-04-14 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Falmouth, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Primary Aims
1. To carry out an integrated monitoring survey of the Celtic Sea, south-western approaches and the western Channel using a random stratified survey design for the purposes of providing fish stock assessment data and the collection of associated ecosystem information. a) Deployment of two standardised 4m beam trawls. One trawl with cod-end liner (blinder) fitted; one with no blinder fitted. Catches from the trawls will be processed to obtain information on: - Distribution, size composition and relative abundance of fish, shellfish, cephalopods, and benthic invertebrates. - Age-length distribution of selected fish species. - Biological parameters of selected species. - Distribution of fish in relation to their environment. - Distribution of macrobenthos and anthropogenic debris. - Length, weight & maturity information in support of the EU Data Regulation. The data obtained from processing the trawl catches are collected in support of the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF) and will be submitted to ICES working groups and will also support other Cefas biological studies. b) Water column sampling. Water column profile and water samples using a Niskin with ESM2 logger will be collected two/three times a day, providing profile information for chlorophyll, oxygen, salinity temperature, nutrient samples and the relevant QA/QC samples for calibration of the equipment. c) Sediment and benthos at a station. Sediment sample(s) will be collected at one end of the tow along the trawl transect using a mini-Hamon grab. These samples will be used for collecting the following data: - The benthic macro infauna (5mm sieve) - Benthic infauna (1mm sieve) - Sediment particle size analysis d) Sediment redox. SPI camera dips (with up to 5 replicates at each location) will be collected at one end of the tow. These data will be linked to the sediment and benthic samples so should occur at an equivalent site to those samples. e) 2m beam trawl deployments. A 2m beam trawl may be deployed to supplement and provide contrast to the fish/benthic catches observed in the 4m beams. 2. To continuously log sub-surface (3m) salinity, temperature, fluorometry and other environmental data using the 'Ferrybox'. Additionally, a Flow cytometer (phytoplankton) and plankton image analyser (PIA) for zooplankton will be run in conjunction with the Ferrybox. 3. To record details of surface sightings of any marine mammals, sea turtles and large pelagic fish, and record observations on jellyfish aggregations. Secondary Aims 4. Collect water samples for caesium & tritium analysis under SLA22. 5. To tag/release specimens of various commercially exploited skates (Rajidae) and other selected elasmobranches. 6. Collect specimens of selected species for ID purposes as well as length-weight measurements where still required. 7. To collect length and weight measurements of jellyfish caught. 8. To collect other samples in support of active Cefas projects. 9. To recover and replace a wave-rider close to the Isles of Scilly. 10. To collect otoliths from Ballan Wrasse (Labrus bergylta) to aid future Cefas fish ageing studies. 11. Collect nutrient samples from surface sea-water supply in support of the ASMIAE project. 12. Collect specimens of Solenocera membrancea. 13. Collect a plankton ring-net sample at the Gabbard location. Narrative in attached cruise report. |
| Chief scientist | Ian David Holmes (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.49 MB) |
| Cruise report | (1.97 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | English Channel Celtic Sea |
| Specific | Celtic Sea, southwestern approaches and the western Channel. |
