FRV Scotia 0907S
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Scotia (748S) |
| Cruise identifier | 0907S |
| Cruise period | 2007-06-06 — 2007-06-26 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To obtain estimates of the abundance and distribution of Nephrops burrows in the Fladen Ground, the North Minch, the South Minch, Stanton Banks and the Firth of Clyde. If time permits stations in the Sound of Jura, the Noup and at Devil's Hole will also be surveyed. 2. To use the TV footage to record occurrence of other benthic fauna and evidence of commercial trawling activity. 3. To collect sediment samples at each station. 4. To carry out Nephrops trawling, one haul in each sediment stratum in each of the main survey areas, and to obtain samples for size composition analysis and biological features. 5. To collect samples of Nephrops for comparison of reproductive condition and morphometrics in different survey areas (functional units) 6. To conduct video transects in the Buzzard Field site as part of data required baseline data for the Serpent Project. 7. To further test the Visual Works software and recording equipment for future use in Nephrops UWTV surveys. Narrative Scotia sailed from Aberdeen at 9.40 on 6 June and arrived at the Buzzard Oilfield at 14.30. Three deployments of the underwater TV (UWTV) sledge along transects near the rig and manifold and a fourth in the adjacent control area were completed by 18.30. Scotia then steamed to the SW corner of the Fladen Ground where the Nephrops burrow UWTV survey started at 19.30. Early problems with the mini-grab sampler were resolved and three TV survey tows were completed before midnight. Work in the Fladen continued over the next 5 days. Weather conditions and visibility were generally good and 67 UWTV tows were successfully completed. Sediment samples were obtained from all survey locations. Four fishing tows (duration ca. 90 mins) were conducted, at least one in each of the mapped sediment strata. |
| Chief scientist | Anne McLay (Fisheries Research Services Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | RV0707 |
| Coordinating body | FRS |
| Cruise programme |  (0.71 MB) |
| Cruise report | (0.26 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | Fladen Ground, the Minches, Stanton Banks, the Firth of Clyde, Sound of Jura, the Noup and the Moray Firth. |
| Track charts | (0.08 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of samples = 20 Description: water samples, to determine dinoflagellate presence |
| Crustaceans | Quantity: number of hauls = 15 Description: nephrops |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Description: nephrops burrows >50% of UWTV recordings |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Description: nephrops sampled and morphometric measurements made |
| Geology and geophysics | |
| Grab | Quantity: number of samples = 237 Description: sediment |
| Bottom photography | Quantity: number of surveys = 233 Description: UWTV survey tows |
