FV Altaire 0222H
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FV Altaire (746A) |
| Cruise identifier | 0222H |
| Cruise period | 2022-04-12 — 2022-04-27 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Peterhead, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Peterhead, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To carry out Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) egg survey (ICES Triennial Survey), on the western shelf and shelf edge in the area from 54.5 N to 61.5 N. 2. To collect fish samples, by trawling, for atresia and fecundity analysis back at the laboratory Procedure After sailing from Peterhead, the vessel will proceed to the first plankton station line at 58 45'N 08 15'W. Subsequent stations will be taken along the same line west at 30' intervals. Thereafter, transects will be separated (to the north or to the south as appropriate) by 1 degree with stations at 30' E/W intervals. Plankton samples will be taken using the Gulf VII sampler with mounted CTD to record salinity and temperature parameters during the tow. The plankton tows will require the vessel to deploy the sampler at a constant four knots then proceed to tow it at the same speed. While towing, the sampler will be lowered at a steady rate (10m/min) from the plankton 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 from the sampler net, fixed in formalin following which target eggs will be identified, staged and scored for abundance. Trawl samples will be taken at the discretion of the scientist in charge in conjunction with the skipper, and will usually be taken at the shelf edge during the hours of darkness to obtain samples of mature mackerel and horse mackerel. It is expected that there should be a maximum of twelve trawls for the whole survey. As well as those of Atlantic mackerel and horse mackerel, eggs from european hake (Merluccius merluccius) and white ling (Molva molva) will also be identified, staged and scored for abundance. |
| Chief scientist | James Drewery (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Cruise programme |  (0.60 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | Shelf edge west of Scotland |
