FRV Alba Na Mara 1408A
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Alba Na Mara (74NM) |
| Cruise identifier | 1408A |
| Cruise period | 2008-12-04 — 2008-12-18 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To determine the abundance, length and age of sandeels in the sediment in regions east of the Firth of Forth and Turbot Bank. 2. To collect and preserve frozen samples of sandeels for analysis of age and maturity. Narrative Scientific staff joined Alba na Mara in Fraserburgh at 1500 on Friday 5 December. Sailing was delayed due to repairs needed on the ship's echosounder as well as poor weather. Alba na Mara sailed from Fraserburgh at 0800 hours on Saturday 6 December and made way for St Andrews Bay, where the dredging and camera gear were trialed. The vessel anchored at St Andrews bay at 2100. Alba na Mara steamed out from St. Andrews Bay at 0800 on Sunday 7 December. The vessel arrived on station 3 at Wee Bankie and began the survey at 1100. Five repeats were done on each of stations 3 and 4. After sampling, Alba na Mara steamed towards Pease Bay to anchor. Stations 1,2,17 and 18 were completed the following day. Sandeels were scarce enough at these four stations to warrant less than 5 repetitions each, which aided their rapid completion. Alba na Mara anchored near Eyemouth on the evening of 8 December. On the morning of 9 December, the vessel sailed towards the Wee Bankie area and station ten. Upon arrival, the weather was judged poor and Alba na Mara moved west towards a more sheltered locality. Station 7 was completed in five tows. Alba na Mara anchored in Lunan Bay that night. On the morning of 10, Alba na Mara steamed to Montrose to drop off scientific staff member I Gibb and to have a lab member of staff recommend action on the RoxAnn system, which had not functioned properly since the first day of the survey. RoxAnn did not record the values expected of it on such a variety of bottom surfaces, thus no substrate differentiation was displayed. A re-calibration of the RoxAnn system during the survey was advised. The re-calibration was perfor |
| Chief scientist | Robert Watret (Fisheries Research Services Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | MF01ta |
| Cruise programme |  (0.06 MB) |
| Cruise report | (0.05 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
| Specific | Firth of Forth, Turbot Bank |
