RV Cefas Endeavour 16/22
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 16/22 |
| Cruise period | 2022-09-25 — 2022-10-28 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Aims
1. To carry out the twelfth autumn PELTIC survey: pelagic ecosystem survey of the western Channel, Celtic Sea, including (for the third time) Cardigan Bay (for Welsh Government), to estimate the biomass of-, and gain insight into the populations of the small pelagic fish community including sprat Sprattus sprattus, sardine Sardina pilchardus, mackerel Scomber scombrus, anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus. The PELTIC derived sardine biomass in area 7 will feed into its stock assessment (WGHANSA) and sprat biomass data from the western English Channel will feed into the stock assessment of sprat in area 7de (HAWG). 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 VDK 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, striped red mullet Mullus surmuletus, garfish Belone belone and 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 zooscan analysis back in the lab. 4. Water column profile and water sample. At fixed stations along the acoustic transect, a CTD (ESM2 profiler or Seabird on Rosette sampler) will be deployed to obtain measurements of environmental properties within the water column: chlorophyll, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, turbidity, dissolved inorganic nutrients 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 two 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. Flowcytometry: high frequency sampling of the phytoplankton functional groups and size of phytoplankton community. 8. Plankton Imager (PI): to collect continuous high frequency data on the sub-surface copepod composition. 9. eDNA: collect water-samples for ongoing studies to assess method as monitoring tool for pelagic fish, cetaceans and wider biodiversity. 10. Genetic samples herring: to bag and freeze herring from different parts of the survey area. 11. To collect between 15-20 (similar sized) specimens per species (anchovy, boarfish, herring, horse mackerel, mackerel, sardine) and freeze. 12. To collect between 25-50 specimens per species (anchovy, mackerel, sardine) and freeze for further analysis in the lab supporting a study on microplastics in fish stomachs. 13. To collect 30 sardine larvae each at up to six different stations across the survey area for preliminary work on otolith microchemistry. 14. Record macro-litter observations in the trawl. 15. To collect 100 specimens of anchovy for a study on growth. 16. To collect |
| Chief scientist | Fabio Campanella (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory), 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 report |  (2.06 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | English Channel Irish Sea and St. George's Channel Celtic Sea Unknown |
| Specific | Western Channel, Celtic Sea, Cardigan Bay (ICES Divisions VIIe-VIIf and parts of VIIa, VIIg) |
