FRV Scotia 0708S
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Scotia (748S) |
| Cruise identifier | 0708S |
| Cruise period | 2008-06-05 — 2008-06-25 |
| 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, Sound of Jura and the Firth of Clyde. If time permits stations in the Noup 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. 5. To collect samples of Nephrops for comparison of reproductive condition and morphometrics in different survey areas (Functional Units). 6. To collect hagfish on behalf of the University of Leicester. 7. To collect samples of various species of fish for SMRU. Narrative All the scientific staff were on board RFV. Scotia by 1100 on 5 June, however, correcting a fault with the survey camera system delayed sailing until 1400, when the vessel headed to the Southern Trench, north of Fraserburgh. In the deep water found there, a training session in deploying and recovering the sledge was carried out, which also allowed the cable to be wound on to the winch under tension. After completing this operation successfully, Scotia steamed 95 miles east to the first TV station, arriving at 0800 on Friday 6 June. Despite problems with a hydraulic pipe bursting on the Gamma frame and fuses blowing in the ship's container area when the sledge lights were activated, 45 TV stations and 3 fishing tows were completed over 4 days. The vessel then had to leave the area at 1700 on Monday 9 June due to an imminent storm and the desire to utilise the tide at the Pentland Firth to the ship's advantage. This course of action meant that 19 TV stations from the originally planned 64 remained to be surveyed at Fladen, to be completed on the return leg of the cruise. Arriving at the no |
| Chief scientist | Adrian Weetman (Fisheries Research Services Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | Nephrops TV Study |
| Coordinating body | FRS |
| Cruise programme |  (0.07 MB) |
| Cruise report | (0.24 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) |
| Specific | Fladen Ground, North Minch, South Minch, Sound of Jura and Firth of Clyde. |
| Track charts | (0.22 MB) |
