RV Corystes COR6A/97
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Corystes (74RY) |
| Cruise identifier | COR6A/97 |
| Cruise period | 1997-05-09 — 1997-05-22 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Lowestoft, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | To survey areas subjected to different intensities of fishing in the English Channel and North Sea using a combination of the following techniques:
1. Side-scan sonar survey to ascertain the comparability of substrawn type in areas used for comparative studies, and to ascertain the recent intensity of fishing in those areas. 2. Sample the epibenthic community within specific areas using repeated tows (3-5 minutes duration) of a 2m beam trawl fitted with a stills camera to obtain images of the seabed and quantitative estimates of epifauna. 3. Collect specimens of live bivalves at each station using an anchor dredge for determination of historical fishing intensity (NP0309). 4. Collect sediment samples at each station using a Day grab for sedimentological analysis. 5. Record the occurrence and damage rate of starfish and retain them for laboratory analysis. Contingency aim: 6. In the event of completing the main aims of the programme a similar survey of potted and trawled areas in the Mid-English Channel and off Cromer will be undertaken. |
| Chief scientist | Michel J Kaiser (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Conwy Laboratory) |
| Project | Can demersal fishing cause long-term changes in benthic communities? |
| Coordinating body | CEFAS |
| Cruise report |  (0.16 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | English Channel |
| Specific | Start Bay area; off Plymouth |
| Measurements | |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Zoobenthos | Quantity: number of hauls = 72 Description: Zoobenthos composition. 2m beam trawls for epifauna - mounted with timelapse camera. Video sledge surveys for sediment and faunal analysis. |
| Geology and geophysics | |
| Dredge | Quantity: number of deployments = 72 Description: Anchor dredges for zoobenthos composition |
| Grab | Quantity: number of deployments = 72 Description: Day Grab for sediment analysis. |
| Multi-beam echosounding | Quantity: number of track lines = 72 Description: side-scan sonar measurements each circa 2 nautical miles long in groups of three in each of 24 survey areas. |
