FFS Walther Herwig III 439
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FFS Walther Herwig III (06NI) |
| Cruise identifier | 439 |
| Cruise period | 2020-09-14 — 2020-09-28 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Port of return | Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | The cruise is 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 ICES coordinated studies monitor the spatial distribution and abundance of herring larvae on an annual basis. Survey results give information about herring spawning stock biomass and the contribution of different spawning components on the overall hatching success. The results provide valuable information for herring stock assessment and the fixation of fishing quotas.
The spatial distribution of herring larvae was found to be in common pattern. Most larvae hatched east of the Orkneys and on shallower banks in the Buchan area. The overall abundance in the Orkney/Shetland area was relatively low compared to previous years. However, conclusions for North Sea herring spawning stock dynamics 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 2021. |
| Chief scientist | Nobert Rohlf (Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries, Bremerhaven) |
| Project | ICES International Herring Larvae Survey |
| Coordinating body | International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) |
| Cruise report |  (6.82 MB) |
| NPRC | (0.37 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
| Specific | Northern North Sea, around Orkney and in the Buchan area (ICES Area IVa and IVb) |
| Track charts | (0.15 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of profiles = 161 Description: Towed CTD |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Eggs and larvae | Quantity: number of hauls = 161 Description: plankton and fish larvae catches |
