Marine

  • Assessing Plankton in the UK

    3rd February 2020 by

    Two scientists from Marine Scotland Science (MSS), Dr Eileen Bresnan and Dr Margarita Machairopoulou, have been involved in the first ever assessment of the status of the plankton community in UK waters. Led by the University of Plymouth, scientists from all around the UK joined together to share their datasets and knowledge to fill in...

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  • Recent Decrease in Ocean Salinity in the North Atlantic Waters off Scotland

    31st January 2020 by

    Research published in Nature Communications this week has investigated the recent, large reduction in salinity measurements in the North Atlantic Ocean. Evidence of this surface salinity change includes the time series collected by Marine Scotland Science in the Faroe-Shetland Channel. Scientists observed the freshening event over a large region of the North Atlantic, extending from...

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  • Survey of Scallop Stocks around Shetland Islands

    27th January 2020 by

    MRV Alba na Mara Programme Survey: 0220A Duration: 25 January – 9 February 2020 Fishing Gear: Scallop dredges Objectives: 1. To carry out a survey of scallop stocks around the Shetland Islands. 2. To age, measure and assess shell damage on all scallops caught. 3. To collect information on by-catch of other commercial fish and...

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  • Demersal Trawling Survey in North Sea

    27th January 2020 by

    Scotia at Sea

    MRV Scotia Programme Survey: 0220S Duration: 24 January – 13 February 2020 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) Objective: 1. To complete an internationally coordinated demersal trawling survey in the North Sea in ICES area IV....

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  • MRV Alba na Mara 0120A – latest news

    21st January 2020 by

    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...

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  • MRV Scotia 0120S – latest news

    20th January 2020 by

    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...

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  • Nephrops Activity on the West Coast

    9th January 2020 by

    MRV Alba na Mara

    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...

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  • Marine Scotland Science Discover New Coral Species on Rockall

    9th January 2020 by

    Scientists from Marine Scotland Science (MSS) have discovered a new species of coral on Rockall Bank in the North East Atlantic. The discovery is of an animal known as a sea pen, which as it lacks a hard outer skeleton is often described as a soft coral. The species is described fully in a scientific...

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  • Clean Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme

    8th January 2020 by

    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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  • Deep Sea Communities Explored at Rosemary Bank

    19th December 2019 by

    A team of scientists, with the lead author from Marine Scotland Science (MSS), have had a paper published in the Deep Sea Research Part I journal describing the deep sea communities of the Rosemary Bank Seamount Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the North East Atlantic. The paper provides essential baseline information on the composition of...

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