Marine Scotland

  • 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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  • Marine Scotland Contributes to International Publication on Ocean Acidification

    25th July 2019 by

    Concern is growing globally about the impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on the marine environment. OA results from a change in the carbonate chemistry of the ocean making it more acidic, primarily as a result of the increased uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This increased acidity of seawater may negatively impact many marine…

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  • BOWLing for Prey Species

    20th June 2019 by

    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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  • All Eyes on New Worm Species

    18th June 2019 by

    There’s a worm at the bottom of the sea – and it’s been discovered off the Scottish coast by a team of scientists from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Marine Scotland Science (MSS) and Thomson Environmental Consultants. But this isn’t an ordinary worm – the newcomer has a unique anatomy with its eyes in…

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  • Coastal Temperature Data Published on World Oceans Day

    8th June 2019 by

    As part of the Scottish Coastal Observatory, Marine Scotland and a group of dedicated volunteers record coastal water temperatures around Scotland. Today, on World Oceans Day, the coastal water temperature data from 14 monitoring locations are being published. The volunteer-based observing network works by the volunteers receiving a small self-recording temperature sensor every three months…

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  • Nephrops Burrowing Complexes

    6th June 2019 by

    MRV Scotia Programme Survey: 0819S Duration: 2-24 June 2019 Gear: 2 x Scotia BT175 60mm prawn trawls; 2 x Day grabs and 1 x sieving table; 2 x towed UWTV sledges; 3 x 600m umbilical towing cables and associated TV equipment (including back up); COMPASS work: VEMCO deck box, transponder and charging unit for acoustic release;…

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  • Grabbing Samples at Decommissioned Murchison

    14th May 2019 by

    MRV Scotia Survey: 0619S Programme Duration: 28 April – 05 May 2019 Equipment: Day grab; Sieve table; TV drop frame with lasers; Armoured cable; Multibeam echosounder system; Sound Velocity Profile (SVP); Time-lapse cameras; and Associated moorings. Objectives Assess the macro benthic ecology of drill cuttings material using time-lapse cameras. Procedure MRV Scotia will depart from…

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  • Hydrographic Sampling with Scotia

    19th April 2019 by

    MRV Scotia Programme Survey: 0519S Duration: 16-24 April 2019 Gear: Sea-Bird Conductivity/Temperature/Depth (CTD) unit; Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV); PIES mooring; Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs); Current meter instrumentation; Water filtering equipment; Mooring equipment; and Chemistry sampling equipment. Procedure On sailing from Aberdeen MRV Scotia will make passage to the start (western end) of the AlterEco…

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  • Egg-cellent Sampling with Altaire – An Update

    5th April 2019 by

    Survey: 0119H MFV Altaire (LK429) Duration: 19 March – 1 April 2019 Objectives Carry out mackerel egg survey (ICES Triennial Survey), on the western shelf and shelf edge in the area from 53oN to 59o N. Collect fish samples, by trawling, for atresia and fecundity analysis back at the laboratory. Marine Scotland chartered the large…

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  • Surveying in Subarea 6a

    25th February 2019 by

    Survey: MRV Scotia Programme 0319S Duration: 17 February – 11 March 2019 Fishing Gear: GOV (Grand Overture Verticale) Trawl (BT 137) fitted with ground gear D. Plankton Sampling Gear: Gulf 7, icthyoplankton Sampler Hydrographic Gear: Seabird 19+ CTD (Conductivity, Temperature and Depth) Objectives: Demersal trawling survey (SCOWCGFS-Q1) off the grounds of the north and west…

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