RV Cefas Endeavour 15/23
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9) |
| Cruise identifier | 15/23 |
| Cruise period | 2023-09-28 — 2023-11-01 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Swansea, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | Aims
1. To carry out the eleventh autumn PELTIC survey: pelagic ecosystem survey of the western Channel, Celtic Sea, including (for the fourth 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 sprattu), sardine Sardina pilchardus, mackerel (Scomber scombrus), anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). The PELTIC derived sardine biomass in ICES Subarea 7 will feed into its stock assessment (WGHANSA) and sprat biomass data from the western Channel will feed into the stock assessment of sprat in ICES divisions 7.d-e (HAWG). a. To carry out a fisheries acoustic survey during daylight hours only using four operating frequencies (38, 70, 120, 200 and 333 kHz) to map and quantify the small pelagic species community. b. To conduct approximately 45 trawls targeting 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 2. To Calibrate the Simrad EK80 broadband echosounder at frequencies: 38, 70, 120, 200 and 333 kHz. 3. 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, saury pike Scomberesox saurus. 4. 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. 5. Water column sampling. At fixed stations along the acoustic transect, a CTD (either an ESM2 profiler or a Seabird mounted on a Rosette sampler) will be deployed to obtain measurements of environmental properties within the water column. Water column profile and water samples will provide information on chlorophyll concentration, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, turbidity, and dissolved inorganic nutrients concentration 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. Relevant data within UK EEZ will feed into the eutrophication assessment under the SLA25 eutrophication monitoring programme. Samples for analysis of the phytoplankton and microzooplankton communities will also be collected at the subsurface at fixed sampling stations. 6. Seabirds, Marine Mammals and tuna. Locations, species, numbers and activities observed will be recorded continuously during daylight hours by external observers located on the bridge. 7. FerryBox Continuous CTD/Thermo-salinograph. Continuously collect oceanographic data at 4 m depth during steaming, including chlorophyll concentration (from calibrated fluorescence). 8. Flowcytometry: high frequency sampling of the phytoplankton functional groups and size of phytoplankton community. 9. Plankton Imager (PI): to collect continuous high frequency data on the sub-surface copepod composition. 10. eDNA: collect water-samples for ongoing studies to assess method as monitoring tool for pelagic fish, cetaceans and wider biodiversity. 11. Monitoring the critically endangered Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) as well as other seabirds and marine |
| 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 |  (3.10 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | English Channel Celtic Sea Unknown |
| Specific | Western English Channel, Celtic Sea, Cardigan Bay (ICES Divisions VIIe-f and parts of VIIa, VIIg) |
