FRV Explorer 12/80
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Explorer (74EX) |
| Cruise identifier | 12/80 |
| Cruise period | 1980-10-31 — 1980-11-18 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | 1) To carry out an echointegrator and mid-water trawling survey for 0-group sprats in the western half of the central North Sea
2) To investigate the vertical distribution of 0-group sprats at different times of day and night 3) To investigate the use of low-light television as a means of identifying echotraces 4) Samples of small herring were returned to the laboratory for examination of pyloric caeca 5) Seabird observations were made by Mr O'Neil of the Nature Conservancy Council on the first half of the cruise 6) Daily communication was made with 2 Norwegian Research vessels also taking part in the sprat survey ''Explorer'' anchored in St Andrew's Bay to undergo repairs to a generator and again in Largo Bay on the 06/11/1980. A half-landing took place on the 10/11/1980 till the 11/11/1980 in Aberdeen. Scientific staff were changed and a BBC team joined the ship in Aberdeen on the 19/11/1980 to make a film of the trawling, the ship docked later that day. |
| Chief scientist | Roger S Bailey (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Cruise report |  (3.49 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
| Specific | N.E. Scotland, Firth of Forth, Forties Field, N of Bell Rock, Moray Firth, off Montrose |
| Track charts | (2.84 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Pelagic fish | Quantity: number of hauls = 36 Description: 1 hour duration. Distribution,biomass determination carried out using the International Young Gadoid pelagic trawl (PT 154) fitted with an 11 mm knotless mesh codend |
| Acoustic reflection on marine organisms. | Description: Echointegration was carried out between trawl stations at night |
