RV Cefas Endeavour 15/19
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 15/19 |
| Cruise period | 2019-10-01 — 2019-10-28 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Portland Harbour, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Aims
1. To carry out the eighth annual multidisciplinary pelagic survey of the western Channel and Celtic Sea to estimate the biomass of, and gain insight into the population of the small pelagic fish community including sprat (Sprattus sprattus), sardine (Sardina pilchardus), mackerel (Scomber scombrus), anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). a. To carry out a fisheries acoustic survey during daylight hours only using four operating frequencies (38, 120, 200 and 333 kHz) to map and quantify the small pelagic species community. b. To trawl for small pelagic species using a 20x40m herring (mid-water) trawl in order to obtain information on: - Species and size composition of acoustic marks - Age-composition and distribution, for small pelagic species - Length weight and maturity information of pelagic species - Stomach contents of selected species 2. To collect biological data (size, weight, age and maturity) on range of data-limited fish species, including European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), black seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), garfish (Belone belone), saury pike (Scomberesox saurus). 3. To collect plankton samples using two ring-nets with 80 µm, and 270 µm mesh sizes at fixed stations. Carried out at night by vertical haul and samples will be processed onboard: a. Ichthyoplankton (eggs and larvae, 270 µm) of pelagic species will be identified, counted and (in case of clupeids) staged and measured onboard to identify spawning areas. b. Zooplankton (80 µm) will be stored for further analysis back in the lab. 4. Water column sampling. At fixed stations along the acoustic transect, a CTD (either an ESM2 profiler or a Seabird mounted on a Rosette sampler) will be deployed to obtain measurements of environmental properties within the water column. Water column profile and water samples will provide information on chlorophyll concentration, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, turbidity, and dissolved inorganic nutrients concentration as well as the relevant QA/QC samples for calibration of the equipment. Water samples will be collected and fixed on board for analysis post-survey. Samples for analysis of the phytoplankton and microzooplankton communities will also be collected at the subsurface at fixed sampling stations. 5. Seabirds and Marine Mammals. Locations, species, numbers and activities observed will be recorded continuously during daylight hours by Marinelife observers located on the bridge. 6. Ferrybox Continuous CTD/Thermo-salinograph. Continuously collect oceanographic data at 4 m depth during steaming, including chlorophyll concentration (from calibrated fluorescence). 7. To carry out hourly measurements of the phytoplankton functional groups using an online flow-cytometer, connected to the Ferrybox; in collaboration with project JERICHO NEXT. 8. To further trial the continuous Plankton Image Analyser. 9. To collect and process samples of environmental DNA and assess method as monitoring tool for pelagic fish, cetaceans and diversity. 10. To collect stomach contents of small pelagic fish (e.g. anchovy and sardine) for onboard and post-survey analysis. 11. To collect small pelagic fish stomachs for a study on proliferation of microplastics through food webs 12. To collect a zooplankton sample using the 200 µm mesh ring-net at the West Gabbard2 SmartBuoy, for the Lifeform project (Defra) as part of the UK monitoring network of zooplankton. 13. To collect and freeze sardine specimens at three different locations: eastern English Channel, Western English Channel and Bristol Channel for genetic and otolith morphometric study. 14. To collect 15 tissue samples of sardine for each ICES rectangle for a Portuguese study to integrate genetic analysis into fisheries biology and assessment. Narrative in attached cruise report. |
| Chief scientist | Jeroen Van der Kooij (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory), Joana F Silva (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.25 MB) |
| Cruise report | (1.41 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | English Channel Celtic Sea |
| Specific | Western English Channel and Celtic Sea (ICES Divisions 7d, e, f, g) |
