RV Cefas Endeavour 09/23
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 09/23 |
| Cruise period | 2023-07-01 — 2023-07-14 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Portland Harbour, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Primary Aims
1. To complete all 79-prime stations, via the 4-m beam trawl, throughout the southern North Sea and eastern Channel (England and France) as defined by the ICES co-ordinated research programme 2. To collect fisheries independent data on the distribution and abundance of main commercial demersal species 3. To collect biological data, including maturity and weight at age, of commercial and non-commercial species to satisfy the requirements of the EU data regulations 4. To collect epibenthos by-catch data, via 4-metre beam trawl fishing activities, as agreed at the Beam Trawl Working Group 5. To collect additional data on skates and rays Rajiformes, including gonad weight (to 0.1 g resolution for any deceased specimens), shell gland width (to 0.1 mm resolution for any deceased females) and outer clasper length (to 0.1 mm resolution for all males). For deceased specimens, the section of vertebral column (6-10 vertebrae) from that part overlaying the body cavity should be removed and frozen (with corresponding biological and station details) 6. To collect and preserve tissue samples (and corresponding otoliths) for horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus, sprat Sprattus sprattus, herring Clupea harengus, sardine Sardina pilchardus and anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus caught (all specimens to a maximum of n = 50) to support ongoing studies on population genetics 7. To collect and preserve tissue samples from deceased specimens of small-eyed ray Raja microocellata and undulate ray Raja undulata to support ongoing studies on population genetics 8. To collect and freeze tissue samples and the carcass of selected fish species in support of the Darwin Tree of Life (DToL) project 9. To collect litter by-catch data at every prime station via 4-metre beam trawl fishing activities Secondary Aims 10. To collect conductivity, depth and temperature (CDT) data at each fishing station via the Micro-CTD attached to the 4-m beam trawl 11. To continuously log sub-surface (3m) salinity, temperature, fluorometry and other environmental data using the 'Ferrybox' 12. To collect water samples (surface and near bottom) at scientific sunrise and after the last fishing station each day using a Niskin sampler and ESM2 data logger 13. To collect and process chlorophyll samples (near bottom) at scientific sunrise 14. To collect a zooplankton sample from the West Gabbard Smart Buoy site via a vertical ring net Opportunistic Aims 15. To complete 5-additional prime stations, via the 4-m beam trawl, in the Belgium EEZ as defined by the ICES co-ordinated research programme 16. To tag and release specimens of various commercially exploited skates Rajidae and other selected elasmobranchs 17. Collect specimens of selected species for ID purposes as well as length-weight measurements where still required 18. To carry out full biological sampling on common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis 19. To collect specimens of Alloteuthis sp., with associated photography, for identification studies to assess potential increase of A. media in UK waters 20. To retain and freeze a selection of non-otolithed round fish and flat fish for biological sampling training of new Cefas fisheries staff 21. To dispatch, retain and freeze 20 lesser-spotted dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula for the 2023 Cefas Masterclass Narrative in attached cruise report. |
| Chief scientist | Linford Mann (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Cruise report |  (1.75 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | English Channel North Sea |
| Specific | Southern North Sea (27.4.c) and eastern Channel (27.7.d) |
