FRV Scotia 1006S_1
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Scotia (748S) |
| Cruise identifier | 1006S_1 |
| Cruise period | 2006-06-08 — 2006-06-17 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Greenock, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To obtain estimates of abundance and distribution of Nephrops in the Fladen Ground, Firth of Clyde, North Minch, South Minch, Stanton Banks, using underwater television. If time permits the survey will also include stations in the Sound of Jura. 2. To make use of the TV survey to estimate the densities of other shellfish species and benthic organisms and to record evidence of commercial trawling activity 3. To collect sediment samples at each station 4. To carry out Nephrops trawling in each stratum throughout the survey areas for size and sex composition analysis and examination of biological features 5. To collect samples of Nephrops for comparison of reproductive condition and morphometrics in the different functional units. Information on sex at maturity will contribute to EU DCR requirements. 6. To conduct video transects of the Buzzard Field site to collect data for the Serpent project. 7. To trial the Visual Works software and recording device for future use in Nephrops UWTV surveys. Narrative Scotia sailed from Aberdeen mid morning on 8 June for the Buzzard Oilfield. Three tows of the UWTV sled along transects in the vicinity of the rig and manifold, and a further tow in the adjacent control area, were successfully completed by 1700 hours. Scotia then proceeded to the Fladen Ground where the Nephrops burrow TV survey started at 2230. Weather conditions and visibility were excellent initially and good overall and a total of 58 tows at Fladen were completed between 8 and 12 June. Sediment samples were obtained at all stations and three 30 minute trawls hauls were conducted over different sediment types in the central and western areas of the survey grounds. Scotia left the Fladen in the evening of 12 June for the Pentland Firth, rounding Cape Wrath overnight to arrive at the first station in the North Minch mid morning on 13 June. The survey continued smoothly and on schedule with the Scotia working at 20 stations down the western side of the North Minch and a further 22 stations on the western side of the South Minch on 13 and 14 June. One fishing trawl in the North Minch and two in the South Minch were carried out. Scotia left the South Minch for the Stanton Banks in the early hours of 16 June. An additional station en route, recently fished by a commercial vessel, was included. Despite a moderate swell, survey tows and sediment sampling at Stanton (8 stations) was successfully completed by mid afternoon 16 June, when Scotia steamed east to the Clyde. TV sled tows were conducted at 4 stations in the Clyde prior to the half landing at Greenock on 17 June. |
| Chief scientist | Anne McLay (Fisheries Research Services Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | RVO605 |
| Coordinating body | FRS |
| Cruise report |  (0.23 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland |
| Specific | North Sea (Buzzard Field, Fladen Ground) and west coast of Scotland (Firth of Clyde, Minches and Stanton Banks) |
| Measurements | |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids) | Description: Squid and dab samples were collected during the cruise, for DNA analysis. No. of samples not noted. |
| Pelagic fish | Description: Squid and dab samples were collected during the cruise, for DNA analysis. No. of samples not noted. |
| Crustaceans | Quantity: number of hauls = 7 Description: Trawls for Nephrops |
| Crustaceans | Quantity: number of deployments = 113 Description: TV surveys of Nephrops populations. Communities of shellfish and other benthic organisms were also monitored. Evidence of commercial trawling activities recorded. |
| Geology and geophysics | |
| Grab | Quantity: number of samples = 1 Description: Sediment samples collected survey stations. No. of samples not recorded. |
| Bottom photography | Quantity: number of deployments = 113 Description: TV surveys of Nephrops populations. Communities of shellfish and other benthic organisms were also monitored. Evidence of commercial trawling activities recorded. |
