Marine

Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme Firth of Forth

November 29, 2019 by No Comments | Category Marine Directorate general, Marine Directorate Science, Marine Directorate Surveys, Research Vessel Surveys

MRV Alba na Mara Programme

Survey: 2119A

Duration: 28 November – 2 December 2019

Sampling Gear:

  • BT 158 with 50 mm cod-end
  • 2 m beam trawl with 50 mm cod-end
  • Day grab and table
  • Catamaran and neuston net

Objectives:

  1. To undertake flatfish sampling in St Andrews Bay, Inner Firth of Forth and the Forth estuary (Tancred) in support of the Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme (OSPAR and MSFD).
  2. To undertake sediment sampling in the St Andrews Bay, Inner Firth of Forth and the Forth estuary in support of the Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme (OSPAR and MSFD.
  3. To undertake survey of sea-surface litter in surface waters of the Forth and Scottish east coast and record seabed litter collected by the trawls (MSFD D10).
  4. To undertake fish, shellfish and sediment sampling in support of the microplastics ROAME (ST014).

Procedure:

Fishing and scientific gear will be loaded in Leith at the end of the previous survey, prior to Alba na Mara sailing on 28 November. After all drills have been undertaken, the vessel will steam to the first sampling station, the order of which will be decided by the SIC in conjunction with the master and will be influenced by prevailing weather conditions. Flounder will be sampled in St Andrews Bay and in the Forth estuary (Tancred bank), Dab will be sampled in the Inner Firth of Forth.

Five sediment stations will be sampled at each of the St Andrews Bay, Inner Firth of Forth and the Forth estuary, and at each station two grabs will be taken: one for contaminants and one for microplastics. The neuston trawl (catamaran) will be deployed in the Forth estuary, the Firth of Forth, and off the east coasts of Fife and East Lothian, whenever possible according to fishing activities and weather conditions. This net is to be towed at five knots, or less, for 30 minutes in order to collect and sample microplastics floating on the sea surface. A variety of fish species will be adventitiously sampled from the trawls and frozen for work-up in the laboratory as part the microplastics ROAME (ST014). Records will be made of seabed litter caught by the trawls.

Tables 1, 2 and 3 list the sediment, fishing and sea surface litter survey sites, respectively.

General Arrangements: Liquid nitrogen and other chemicals (e.g. methanol, formalin) will be carried aboard for the preservation and storage of biological material.

Table 1: Sediment sampling locations.

Region Area Site decLat decLong Lat Long
Forth Inner Offshore Kingston Hudds 56.097 -2.923 56 05.80N 002 55.40W
Forth Inner Offshore Fairway Buoy 56.050 -3.002 56 03.00N 003 00.09W
Forth Inner Offshore Firth of Forth 49 56.119 -2.862 56 07.14N 002 51.74W
Forth Inner Offshore Firth of Forth 38 56.080 -2.987 56 04.79N 002 59.22W
Forth Inner Offshore Firth of Forth 33 56.049 -3.046 56 02.95N 003 02.74W
Forth Lower Forth Estuary LFE GC 56.016 -3.486 56 00.96N 003 29.16W
Forth Lower Forth Estuary Tancred 56.005 -3.509 56 00.28N 003 30.54W
Forth Lower Forth Estuary Crombie 56.030 -3.531 56 01.80N 003 31.86W
Forth Lower Forth Estuary LFE FEEAP station 7 (from 2011) 56.028 -3.543 56 01.68N 003 32.58W
Forth Lower Forth Estuary LFE EB (from 2012) 56.014 -3.454 56.00.84N 003 27.24W
E Scotland St Andrews Bay St Andrews Bay @ surveillance site 1 56.362 -2.628 56 21.72N 002 37.68W
E Scotland St Andrews Bay St Andrews Plankton Station 15 56.438 -2.660 56 26.28N 002 39.60W
E Scotland St Andrews Bay St Andrews Bay @ surveillance site 2A 56.346 -2.616 56 20.76N 002 36.96W
E Scotland St Andrews Bay St Andrews Bay 56.373 -2.698 56 22.38N 002 41.88W
E Scotland St Andrews Bay St Andrews Bay – mid trawl 56.376 -2.749 56 22.56N 002 44.94W

Table 2: Proposed fishing locations and fish requirements.

Region Site decLat decLong Lat Long Species Gear Bio-effects Chemistry
E Scotland Coast St Andrews Bay 56.360 -2.750 56 21.60N 002 45.00W Flounder Bottom trawl 50 *25
Inner Firth of Forth Kingston Hudds 56.130 -2.901 56 07.80N 002 54.06W Dab Bottom trawl 50 *25
Lower Forth Estuary Tancred Bank 56.030 -3.560 56 01.80N 003 33.60W Flounder Beam Trawl 50 *25

Table 3: Proposed neuston net (sea surface litter) sampling locations

Region No neuston net tows Duration (mins)
East Scotland coast <5 30
Forth Estuary <5 30
Inner Firth of Forth <5 30

Further Information:

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