Marine

  • Nephrops on the East Coast – An Update

    20th August 2019 by

    Alba na Mara

    MRV Alba na Mara Programme Survey 1319A Duration: 8-24 August 2019 The annual Alba na Mara East Coast Nephrops Underwater TV survey returns once again.  A very busy week has been spent in the Firth of Forth working under challenging conditions at times, but despite 40kt easterly gales plenty of headway was made with the planned...

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  • Getting to know the Herring and Sprat

    19th July 2019 by

    Scotia at work with waves crashing

    MRV Scotia Survey: 0919S Programme Duration: 27 June – 19 July 2019 Sampling Gear: Midwater trawls PT160 x 3 Demersal trawl (BT237) Scanmar trawl eye sensor SIMRAD FS70 net sonde x 2 RBR-Concerto CTD with Dissolved Oxygen probe Water sampler for collecting water samples from bottom of CTD dips GoPro cameras x 2 with underwater...

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  • Surveying in the Moray Firth Wind Farm Sites

    17th July 2019 by

    Alba na Mara

    Marine Scotland Science (MSS) colleagues and University of Aberdeen (UoA) postgraduate students set sail on the Alba na Mara to undertake a multi-disciplinary survey within the Moray Firth wind farm sites from the 8th – 12th of June 2019.  The aim of this survey was to characterise the distribution of the prey species (fish schools,...

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  • Scallops, Starfish and Heavy Metal

    24th June 2019 by

    Alba na Mara

    MRV Alba na Mara Survey: 1019A Programme Duration: 15 June – 04 July 2019 Fishing Gear: Scallop dredges Objectives: Carry out a survey of scallop stocks on the East Coast. Age, measure and assess shell damage on all scallops caught. Collect information on by-catch of other commercial fish and shellfish species. Identify and quantify numbers...

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  • BOWLing for Prey Species

    20th June 2019 by

    Alba na Mara

    MRV Alba na Mara Survey: 0919A Programme Duration: 8-12 June 2019 Equipment: Pelagic net PT 154; “Bongo” net plankton sampling equipment; Seabird SBE19 CTD; Water sampling mini-rosette; Sandeel dredge; Day grab and grab table; and EK 60 sounder. Location Names: Beatrice Offshore Wind farm Limited  (BOWL); Moray East Offshore Wind farm (MEOW); and Moray West...

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  • Ah, the humble chip!

    7th June 2019 by

    It’s National Fish and Chip day! Whilst we deal with the fish side of it, we decided to ask one of our potato-boffin colleagues in Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, Dr Alex Reid, to give us his opinion on the best potato to make chips and the optimum way to make them. Question is,...

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  • Smolts on the Sunbeam

    23rd May 2019 by

    1419H Sunbeam picture

    Scientists from Marine Scotland Science (MSS) are currently undertaking a smolt survey aboard the Fraserburgh pelagic trawler Sunbeam (FR487). The survey runs from 10 – 19 May 2019. The main objective is to survey salmon and sea trout smolt migration routes at various points both inshore and offshore (approx. 45 nmiles) along the Scottish east...

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  • Monks, Megs and More…

    20th May 2019 by

    Genesis 1219H Crew 2

    The second leg of the Monkfish Survey (1219H) departed a sunny Scrabster on the MFV Genesis on Sunday 28th April. It was a 36 hour steam out to Rockall, which gave us plenty of time for some beauty sleep.  We then began fishing on Tuesday in some fine, calm conditions. The aim of the survey...

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  • Smolt Trawl Survey with the Sunbeam

    16th May 2019 by

    1419H Figure 1 Previous survey hauls in relation to wind farm sites of interest and some of the likely smolt migration routes

    MFV Sunbeam FR487 Survey: 1419H Programme Duration: 10-19 May 2019 Scientific Gear: Smolt trawl, Thyboron type 15vf pelagic trawl doors (6m2), Dyneema sweep rig and Fenders (300mm diameter with 215kg buoyancy) attached four per side of the trawl. Video frame/box incorporating pit tag detector. Self-contained underwater camera systems. New Åkrehamn Trålbøteri fish-lift aquarium system incorporating...

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  • Demersal Data Collection

    15th May 2019 by

    MONKFISHIMG_0664

    MFV Genesis BF505 Survey: 1119H Survey Programme Duration: 9-17 May 2019 Fishing Gear: Anglerfish Trawl BT 195 Objectives: Undertake a nationally co-ordinated demersal trawling survey of Anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius and Lophius budegassa) ICES area IVA and VIA Record and map distributions of Megrim (Lepidorhombus wiffiagonis), Four-Spot Megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii) Cod (Gadus morhua), Blue Skate (Dipturus...

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