FFS Walther Herwig III 460
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FFS Walther Herwig III (06NI) |
| Cruise identifier | 460 |
| Cruise period | 2022-09-18 — 2022-09-26 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Port of return | Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | The cruise is part of the German contribution to the international herring larvae surveys in the North Sea (IHLS). These surveys are conducted during the autumn and winter herring spawning activity. The ICES coordinated studies monitor the spatial distribution and abundance of herring larvae on an annual basis. Survey results gives information about herring spawning stock biomass and the contribution of different spawning components on the overall hatching success. The results provide valuable information for herring stock assessment and the fixation of fishing quotas.
The spatial distribution of herring larvae was strikingly different from proceeding years. While usually most larvae hatched east of the Orkneys, the maximum of newly hatches larvae in this year’s survey were found at stations 50 and 51, north-east of the Orkneys and close to the eastern limits of the survey area. However, conclusions for North Sea herring spawning stock dynamics can only be drawn when information of larvae abundance from all spawning areas become available prior to the herring assessment working group meeting in March 2023. |
| Chief scientist | Nobert Rohlf (Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries, Bremerhaven) |
| Project | ICES International Herring Larvae Survey |
| Coordinating body | International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) |
| Cruise report |  (0.84 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | Orkney, Shetland. |
| Track charts | (0.49 MB) |
