FRV Alba Na Mara 1609A
Cruise plan
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | FRV Alba Na Mara (74NM) |
| Cruise identifier | 1609A |
| Cruise period | 2009-09-30 — 2009-10-16 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Fraserburgh, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Fisheries |
| Objectives | Objectives
1. To undertake underwater television (UTV), grab and RoxAnn surveys of the sea disposal site at Gills Bay (Thurso and Scrabster - contingencies) with a view to relocation of the site. 2. To undertake UTV and sonar surveys of the mouth of Little Loch Broom, Ullapool as part of an ongoing investigation into unlicensed dumping (undertake UTV, grab and RoxAnn surveys of the sea disposal site at Ullapool - contingency). 3. To undertake UTV and RoxAnn surveys of the sea disposal site at Beaufort's Dyke and at selected sites within the wider Beaufort's Dyke area as weather and time allows. No grabbing will be undertaken within the Beaufort's Dyke area. 4. To undertake UTV and RoxAnn surveys of sites visited in 2007 at SW Islay and Tiree for the marine wet renewable energy sector. 5. To undertake grab, UTV, Agassiz and RoxAnn surveys of the sea disposal site at Girvan, Eigg, Portnahaven and Port Ellen (some as contingencies) to assess the condition of the seabed, identify the predominant benthic epifauna species, and the distribution of man-made debris. 6. Sediment samples for Objectives 1-3 and 5 will be analysed for chemical and physical parameters. Procedure Scientific staff and equipment will be transported to Fraserburgh during the morning of 24 September, to load the vessel and set-up selected survey equipment. The staff will return to Aberdeen later that day. Cruise personnel will join the vessel at Fraserburgh during the morning of 30 September. The Alba na Mara will depart Fraserburgh as soon as possible, and proceed to Gills Bay sea disposal site to start the work programme outlined in Objectives 1-5. Weather permitting each of the proposed areas will be surveyed in sequence, moving west along the north coast and then south down the west coast to Ullapool and as far south as SW Islay. The Alba na Mara will head north to Oban in order to undertake the staff change, where G Graham and R Duncan will replace P Stainer and D Walker. These transfers will occur on 8 October. The Alba na Mara will then proceed south to Beaufort's Dyke and continue with the remaining survey work including the sea disposal site surveys before making passage back to Fraserburgh for 16 October. |
| Chief scientist | Colin Megginson (Marine Scotland Aberdeen Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | AE02n |
| Cruise programme |  (0.02 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland |
| Specific | North and West coast of Scotland |
