FRV Clupea 1006C
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Clupea (74CU) |
| Cruise identifier | 1006C |
| Cruise period | 2006-07-24 — 2006-08-01 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To obtain estimates of the distribution and abundance of Nephrops in the Firth of Forth and Moray Firth using underwater cameras. 2. To collect sediment samples at each station. 3. To use trawl caught samples of Nephrops to examine biological features at different sites throughout the survey areas. 4. To record benthic fauna interactions with a creel whilst in-situ. 5. To utilise the TV survey to collect data on other benthic fauna. Narrative The scientific staff joined FRV Clupea in Fraserburgh at 0930 on the 24 July, and soon after, the vessel headed south, anchoring that night in Lunan Bay (south of Montrose). On the 25 July, nine successful survey stations were completed in the Firth of Forth, and before going to anchor that evening, the creel cam was deployed on the west side of the Isle of May. After safely recovering the creel cam on the morning of the 26 July, the vessel headed for the TV stations off the coast of Eyemouth, where 4 sites were surveyed before a mechanical failure halted progress. After closer examination it was seen to be too dangerous for both the operators and the cable to continue working with the winch. The Laboratory was notified that Clupea was heading for Leith for repairs. The vessel arrived in port at 1930 where on arrival a contracted engineer examined the winch. The contractor reported back the following day that the repairs would take at least a week. Various options were considered, but it was too hazardous to use the cable until the winch was fully repaired, which effectively stopped the TV survey at this point. Mr Andersen opted to leave the vessel and return home at this point as he had been primarily interested in the TV operation. To reduce the time required if the survey was repeated at a later date a decision was taken that the trawl sites should be completed in both the Moray Firth and the Firth of Forth. Accordingly a further two trawls were fished in the Firth of Forth on the 27 July, and a deployment of the creel cam nearby to the anchorage of Largo Bay. On the 28 July, the creel cam was recovered, and the final four Firth of Forth trawls were sampled, before anchoring off the Isle of May, with the creel cam position nearby for the night. After collecting the creel cam, the 29 July was spent steaming north in fog to Fraserburgh, arriving at 1930. On Sunday 30 July, as the vessel worked west, four Nephrops trawls were completed in the Moray Firth, anchoring off Burghead, after deployment of the creel cam. The following morning the creel cam was recovered and was followed by a further two tows before the vessel returned to Fraserburgh, in preparation for the unloading on 1 August. The scientific staff left the vessel at 1000 on 1 August. |
| Chief scientist | Adrian Weetman (Fisheries Research Services Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | RVO608 |
| Coordinating body | FRS |
| Cruise report |  (0.06 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
| Specific | Moray Firth, Firth of Forth |
| Measurements | |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Crustaceans | Quantity: number of hauls = 12 Description: Length frequency distributions and ovary stages taken from trawl caught nephrops. |
| Geology and geophysics | |
| Grab | Quantity: number of stations = 12 |
| Bottom photography | Quantity: number of stations = 13 Description: Underwater television survey. |
