FRV Alba Na Mara 0720A
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Alba Na Mara (74NM) |
| Cruise identifier | 0720A |
| Cruise period | 2020-11-16 — 2020-11-24 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To undertake sediment sampling in the St Andrews Bay, Inner Firth of Forth, East Coast, Outer Firth of Forth and the Forth estuary in support of the Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme (OSPAR and MSFD). 2. To undertake survey of sea-surface litter in surface waters of the Forth and Tay. 3. To undertake sediment sampling in support of the microplastics ROAME. Procedure Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, details for this survey are still highly changeable. Fishing operations won’t be possible onboard the Alba due to a lower number of personnel allowed to work onboard the ship. Only sediment samples and microplastics from surface catamaran neuston trawl will be collected. However, this has also led to greater availability of the Alba, which has allowed the sampling areas to be increased. Six different sampling areas for sediment are considered for this survey, depending on where the Alba will operate from. Suitable ports include Fraserburgh, Invergordon, Montrose and Leith. In each sampling area (Moray Firth, St Andrews Bay, Lower Firth of Forth, Inner Forth estuary, Outer Forth and East Coast), 5-10 sediment stations will be sampled. At each station two grabs will be taken: one for contaminants and one for microplastics. The neuston trawl (catamaran) will also be deployed in the Forth estuary and Moray Firth according to steaming restrictions and weather conditions, for a number of 30 minute tows. Specific coordinates have been provided for the tows. The order in which the sampling will be undertaken will be weather dependent and agreed in consultation with the master. |
| Chief scientist | Guillaume Hermann (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory), Hilary Anderson (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.60 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
