Marine Scotland Communications
Written 79 posts
MRV Alba na Mara 0120A – latest news
21st January 2020
The annual underwater television Nephrops research survey neither started on the 6th January 2020 nor worked on the west coast, despite the survey plan. The vessel was initially storm bound in Fraserburgh for three days and once out of the harbour the 5m+ swell along the north coast meant the vessel couldn’t reach the west…
MRV Scotia 0120S – latest news
20th January 2020
Here we go again! Like every January for the past 20+ years, our group set off on the Scotia from Leith to collect flat fish, mud, and more recently microplastics. This year, we will remain along the coast whilst having a fair distance to travel (see map below). Alongside the usual sampling sites we also…
Nephrops Activity on the West Coast
9th January 2020
MRV Alba na Mara Programme Survey: 0120A Duration: 6-22 January 2020 Gear: Large TV drop frame TV sledge Static time lapse camera frame 1 x 600m umbilical towing cable 1 x armoured cable Video cameras and associated equipment (plus backup) Stand-alone time lapse stills camera, recorder and power supply (for static camera frame) Four lasers and…
Clean Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme
8th January 2020
MRV Scotia Programme Survey: 0120S Duration: 6-21 January 2020 Fishing gear: BT 137 with Ground gear E; Sediment Sampling: Day grab Litter sampling: Catamaran and neuston trawl Water sampling: Aquatracka fluorometer, Seabird 25 and modified acoustic sledge Objectives: To undertake water, sediment and biological sampling for the Clean Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme (CSEMP). Monitor and record…
Scotia 1919S – Latest News
18th December 2019
Six scientists and the Scotia crew are missing out on all the Christmas preparations because they are working hard on MRV Scotia in the Northern North Sea and the Faroe-Shetland-Channel for 11 days. This work contributes to our long-term monitoring to evaluate changes in hydrography and circulation in Scottish waters and the North Atlantic. So…
Protecting Inshore Waters with Dignity
17th December 2019
A few weeks ago we told you that we were running a pilot Inshore Protection Programme. One month on we spoke to the manager of that programme, Alexis Lee, to find out how it’s going. “Protecting our inshore waters is something that is important to the Scottish Government and Marine Scotland and the inshore protection…
Hydrographic Sampling at Sea
13th December 2019
MRV Scotia Survey: 1919S Programme Duration: 12-22 December 2019 Gear: Sea-Bird CTD/Carousel, water filtering equipment, mooring deployment/recovery equipment, chemistry sampling equipment. Objectives: Test the SBE911 and CTD carousel (main CTD crane) and the SBE25 and Aquatracka (using plankton crane) in the Buchan Deep. Perform routine hydrographic sampling at stations along the long term monitoring JONSIS section…
Alba na Mara Survey 2119A
9th December 2019
On 28th November Alba na Mara departed at 0700 from Leith to sail up the Forth Estuary to complete our first objective which was to fish and collect sediment samples at Tancred Bank. We sailed under all the bridges with wonderful views as we passed. We fished with the beam trawl at Tancred Bank and…
Sandeel Surveys in the East Coast
6th December 2019
MRV Alba na Mara Programme Survey: 2219A Duration: 5-18 December 2019 Equipment: Sandeel dredge × 2 (modified 4′ scallop dredge with 6″ teeth and spare toothbars) with towing bar and camera attachment. TV camera. Minilogger (or equivalent). Objectives: To determine the abundance, length and age of sandeels in the sediment from regions east of the…
Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme Firth of Forth
29th November 2019
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: To undertake flatfish sampling in St Andrews Bay, Inner Firth of Forth and…