Marine Directorate Communications

Written 86 posts

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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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GOV Comparison Trials in the North Sea

29th November 2019

MRV Scotia Programme Survey: 1819S Duration: 28 November – 9 December 2019 Fishing Gear:  BT137 GOV trawl rigged with ground gear A. BT237 (Jackson trawl) rigged with Light hopper rig (300mm and 250mm discs). Marine Institute (MI) trawl (similar to BT237) complete with rubber disc ground gear and wire rig. 2 sets GOV polyvalent trawl…

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ECOMASS Moorings on East Coast

16th November 2019

MRV Alba na Mara Programme Survey: 2019A Duration: 15-26 November 2019 Gear: Surface and subsurface PAM moorings Objectives: To retrieve 24 subsurface moorings comprising acoustic release systems and the acoustic recording devices attached to them (24 C-POD and 8 Loggerhead/SM2M) as part of three marine mammal monitoring programmes (ECOMMAS, JOMOPANS & SEAGREEN). To deploy 11 subsurface…

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Demeral Trawling Survey on the West Coast

6th November 2019

MRV Scotia Survey: 1719S Duration: 4 – 25 November 2019 Fishing Gear: GOV Trawl (BT137) and ground gear D (hoppers). Objectives: Participate in the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) coordinated western division demersal trawling survey. Obtain temperature and salinity data profiles at each trawling position. Collect additional biological data in connection with…

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