Marine

Alba na Mara: Survey 0916A Programme

May 20, 2016 by Marine Directorate Communications No Comments | Category Compliance, Marine Directorate general, Marine Directorate Science, Research Vessel Surveys

Duration: 19 May – 07 June 2016

Fishing Gear: Scallop dredges

Project: 20 days, SU02NS

Objectives:

1. To carry out a survey of scallop stocks on the East Coast;
2. To age, measure and assess shell damage on all scallops caught;
3. To collect information on by-catch of other commercial fish and shellfish species;
4. To identify and quantify numbers of starfish species in all dredge tows;
5. To collect flesh samples for genetic/parasite and toxin analysis back at the laboratory;
6. Arrange collection of live scallops for return to the lab during the survey; and
7. Collect clapper shells during survey which will be aged, measured and damage assessed.

Procedure:

The survey will depart from Fraserburgh on 19 May.  After drills, the vessel will head for the first station, the location of which will be decided by the Scientist-in-Charge, in conjunction with the captain.

Scallop dredge hauls will be made at sites used on previous surveys as shown Figure 1.  Hauls will be of 30 minutes duration.  From each haul all of the scallops will be measured to the half centimetre below and aged.  Numbers and size distribution of commercial fish and shellfish species will be recorded along with scallop shell damage and starfish numbers and species.  Tissue samples will also be collected from selected sites and frozen for toxin analysis back at the laboratory.  Scallops will be collected for genetic analysis and some will also be returned live back to the lab for parasite analysis.

Data will be collected on the number of “clappers”.  These are empty scallop shells with both valves still attached at the hinge.  The ratio of “clappers” to live scallops can be used as an estimate of recent mortality.

The survey will end in Fraserburgh on 7 June where all equipment and staff will then return to the laboratory.

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Further Information:

Figure 1

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