Marine

  • Bright lights; Big fish trials

    2nd March 2018 by

    Alba na Mara

    Survey: 0318A Duration: 8-22 March 2018 Equipment: BT 201 Prawn net – rigged with separator grid and two 80mm codends; Trawl doors, sweeps, bridles, backstrops and pennants; Spare netting and twine; Safety-Net Technologies light unit; PSL5000 light unit x 2; Lindgren Pitman Electralume light x10; 4 x 10m side emitting light cables; Battery pods; Video...

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  • Trawling for ICES in the north and west of Scotland

    16th February 2018 by

    Scotia in Scapa Flow by Michael Stewart

    Duration: 15 February – 7 March 2018 Fishing Gear: GOV Trawl (BT 137) fitted with ground gear D. Objectives: Demersal trawling survey of the grounds off the north and west of Scotland in ICES Subarea VIa. To obtain temperature and salinity data from the surface and seabed at each trawling station. Collect additional biological data...

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  • Celebrating the Year of the Engineer – Meet Neil Collie

    6th February 2018 by

    As we mentioned in our blog in January, 2018 is the Year of the Engineer as well as the Year of the Young Person. Over the course of the year, we’ll be introducing you to some of our incredibly talented engineers, as well as showing your some of their work. Next up, we hear from our...

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  • Counting scallops

    24th January 2018 by

    MRV Alba na Mara

    Duration: 25 January – 7 February 2018 Fishing Gear: Scallop dredges Objectives To carry out a survey of scallop stocks around the Shetland Islands.  To age, measure and assess shell damage on all scallops caught.  To collect information on by-catch of other commercial fish and shellfish species.  To identify, quantify numbers, and damage assess of...

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  • Getting to the Bottom of things

    23rd January 2018 by

    Duration: 23 January – 12 February 2018 Fishing Gear: GOV Trawl (BT 137) with ground gear A & B MIK Net (Round Frame with IK depressor) MIKeyM net (attached onto the MIK net on selected stations) Objectives: To complete an internationally coordinated demersal trawling survey in the North Sea in ICES area IV. To undertake...

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  • So, how were the nephrops?

    19th January 2018 by

    At the beginning of January, we blogged about the research adventures of the Alba na Mara as she went off in search of nephrops. The Scientist in Charge of that survey got back in touch with us to let us know how they’d got on: The west coast TV survey abroad Alba na Mara spent...

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  • Watching nephrops on TV

    5th January 2018 by

    MRV Alba na Mara

    Duration: 6 – 22 January 2018 Gear Large TV drop frame TV sledge 1 x 600m umbilical towing cable 1 x armoured cable Video cameras and associated equipment (plus backup) Four lasers and 60cm bracket for the drop frame 1 x BT201 prawn trawl (plus minimal spares) Day grab and table Prawn sorting table Go...

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  • New Year is a bit rubbish for the Scotia

    3rd January 2018 by

    Duration: 4-19 January 2018 Objectives To undertake water, sediment and biological sampling for the Clean Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme (CSEMP). To collect water samples for nutrient studies as part of the Scottish Coastal Eutrophication Assessment Survey (SCEAS). Monitor and record all litter brought aboard in all trawls. Sample water column and sediment for micro-plastic litter....

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  • Taking the Sea-Bird to the Faroe-Shetland Channel

    8th December 2017 by

    Duration: 8 – 18 December 2017 Gear Sea-Bird CTD/Carousel, Plankton Nets (ARIES), water filtering equipment Objectives Test the CTD in the Buchan Deep off Peterhead and test plankton crane and ARIES at an appropriate location before its first use.  Perform routine hydrographic sampling at stations along the long term monitoring JONSIS section in the northern...

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  • Having eel-y good fun on the Alba na mara

    6th December 2017 by

    Alba na Mara

    Duration: 6-19 December 2017 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 Firth of Forth and around Turbot bank....

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