Marine

MRV Scotia; Survey 0714S – Nephrops Television Survey

June 13, 2014 by Marine Directorate Communications No Comments | Category Marine Directorate general, Marine Directorate Science, Research Vessel Surveys

The MRV Scotia began her annual North Sea and West coast Nephrops Television Survey last week.  The main areas in which the survey will take place are shown in the figure below.  A combination of two approaches will be used to derive the survey positions.  The majority of stations will be generated by employing the traditional stratified random technique in all areas except the North Minch, where stations will be randomly generated within the boundaries of commercial Nephrops fishing effort, obtained from the Vessel Monitoring System.

Duration: 3-25 June 2014
Personnel: 12
Gear:
2 x Scotia BT175 80mm prawn trawls
2 x Day grabs and 1 x sieving table
Towed UWTV sledge and the UWTV drop frame (large frame version)
2 x 600m umbilical towing cables and associated TV equipment (including back up)
AUV equipment (provided by Heriot-Watt University)

Objectives:

1. To obtain estimates of the abundance and distribution of Nephrops burrow complexes at Fladen, in the North Minch, the South Minch, the Firth of Clyde, in the Sound of Jura and at Devil’s Hole.  If time and weather permits, stations at the Noup may also be surveyed.
2. To use the TV footage to record the occurrence of other benthic fauna as well as evidence of commercial trawl activity.
3. To collect sediment samples at each station.
4. To carry out trawling for Nephrops, based on one haul in each sediment stratum in each of the main survey areas, to obtain samples of Nephrops for size composition analysis.
5. To collect samples of Nephrops for comparison of reproductive condition and morphometrics in each of the different survey areas (functional units).
6. To collect Nephrops biological samples for DNA analysis from the west coast on behalf of IMR Norway.
7. To carry out proof of concept activities on Nephrops grounds in the Clyde using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) provided, and managed, by Heriot-Watt University.
8. To record and retain marine litter obtained from trawling activities in as part of the MSFD.

Survey areas for MRV Scotia

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