Resources

FRV Scotia 0719S

Cruise plan

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)FRV Scotia (748S)
Cruise identifier0719S
Cruise period2019-05-08 — 2019-05-30
StatusCompleted
Port of departureAberdeen, United Kingdom
Port of returnAberdeen, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesObjectives

1. To complete a mackerel and horse mackerel egg survey (as part of the ICES Triennial Survey), on the western shelf and shelf edge in the area from 51 N to 61 N.
2. To collect fish samples, by trawling, for atresia and fecundity analysis back at the laboratory.

Procedures

Scotia will depart from Aberdeen on 8 May and, after all vessel drills have been completed, proceed North, heading through the Pentland Firth to the first plankton station at 58o45'N 4o45W. Scotia will then continue sampling on this latitude utilising the adaptive survey methodology. Survey transect spacing will typically be at 30' intervals latitudinally with stations on the transects at 30' E/W intervals. Plankton stations will be taken using the Gulf VII sampler with mounted Seabird 19+ CTD which will record salinity and temperature during the deployments. The plankton tows will require the vessel to deploy at and maintain a steady speed of 4 knots. The sampler will be lowered at a steady rate (6 m/min) from the crane to within 5 m of the seabed or 200 m - whichever is shallower. The sampler will then be recovered at the same speed. Once aboard, plankton samples will be washed into the sampler net before being removed, fixed in formalin and scored for egg abundance. Trawl samples will be taken at the discretion of the scientist in charge. There should be a maximum of ten trawls for the whole survey, and will usually be taken at or adjacent to the shelf edge. The precise length of each survey transect cannot be defined in advance as this survey uses an adaptive design, where sampling on a transect will continue until zero or very small numbers of newly spawned mackerel eggs are found.

Scotia will proceed to survey in a southerly direction along the west coast of first Scotland and then Ireland, although in previous years the spawning behaviour of mackerel has required Scotia to steam over and beyond Rockall Bank in an attempt to fully delineate the mackerel spawning boundary. The exact extent of the surveys western boundary will be decided during the survey. The southern boundary is at 51 30'N, which is almost level with the Fastnet Rock off the SW tip of Ireland. The half landing is expected to be around 18-19 May and although the location will depend on the progress made either Cork or Galway are likely candidates. Following the half landing the survey will proceed back over the area covered in the first half with transects interlaced between those previously undertaken. The vessel will return to Aberdeen for unloading on 30 May 2019. Normal contact will be retained with the laboratory throughout, and with other vessels taking part in the survey.
Chief scientistFinlay Burns (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory)
ProjectICES Triennial Survey
Coordinating bodyInternational Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
Cruise programmeFRV Scotia 0719S cruise programme 0719s.pdf  (0.31 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralInner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland
North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
SpecificShelf and shelf edge west of the UK and Ireland