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RV Cefas Endeavour 14/23
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 14/23 |
| Cruise period | 2023-09-06 — 2023-09-25 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Primary Aims
To carry out a 4m beam-trawl survey of groundfish to i) obtain fisheries-independent data on the distribution and abundance of commercial flatfish species, and ii) derive age compositions of sole Solea solea, plaice Pleuronectes platessa, cod Gadus morhua and whiting Merlangius merlangius for use in stock assessments. To collect biological data including maturity and weight at age of sole, plaice, lemon sole Microstromus kitt and other commercially important finfish species as part of CEFAS- requirements in support of the UK fisheries data collection (previously the EU Data Collection Framework). To determine the distribution and relative abundance of juvenile and adult sole and plaice. To collect surface & bottom temperature/salinity data using CTD and Niskin Bottle. To quantify epibenthos using the 4m beam trawl by-catch. Collect length/weight & maturity information using individual fish measurements, in support of the the UK fisheries data collection. Secondary Aims To collect surface sea-water samples for processing on return to Lowestoft for the analysis of tritium and caesium (T Bailey - Cefas, Lowestoft). To collect fish samples in support of Cefas and non-Cefas projects and training courses. Retain any dead specimens of diadromous fish for the DiadES Interreg project (T Basic - Cefas, Lowestoft). Collect up to five samples of Queen scallops Aequipecten opercularis for biological sampling (J Harvey - Cefas, Lowestoft). Collect individual specimens of European squid Loligo vulgaris (V Laptikhovsky - Cefas, Lowestoft). Collect plankton sample at the Gabbard and Liverpool Bay smart buoy site. (S Pitois - Cefas, Lowestoft). Collect microplastic samples using the CALPS flow through system (D Hoehn - Cefas, Lowestoft) Genomic sampling of particular fish species to improve the methodology to assess finfish, pelagic, data-limited, and non-quota UK priority stocks as part of Defra project C8503. (D Murray - Cefas, Lowestoft). Collect additional data from dead skates and rays (males: testes weight and outer clasper length; females: ovary weight and shell gland width) and collect a section of vertebral column comprising ca. 6-8 vertebrae from that part overlying the body cavity; samples to be kept frozen - as part of Defra project C8503. (J Ellis - Cefas, Lowestoft). To collect specimens of Alloteuthis sp. with associated photography for identification studies into the potential increase of A. media in UK waters. (P White - Cefas, Weymouth). To collect chlorophyll samples at the start and end of each day (N Greenwood, Cefas, Lowestoft). |
| Chief scientist | Stephen Shaw (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel Bristol Channel |
| Specific | Irish Sea and Bristol Channel - ICES areas VIIa, VIIf and VIIg. |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of stations Description: Temperature and salinity profile recorded at each niskin station using ESM2 profiler |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of stations Description: Temperature and salinity profile recorded at all beam trawl stations with mini CTD unit |
| Contamination | |
| Other contaminant measurements | Quantity: number of measurements Description: Litter by-catch information |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Demersal fish | Quantity: number of specimens Description: Length and age structure fo finfish |
| Taggings | Quantity: number of specimens Description: Nurse-hound tagged and released |
