International Blue Whiting Spawning Stock Survey Spring 2009

Abstract

In spring 2009, five research vessels representing the Faroe Islands, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Russia surveyed the spawning grounds of blue whiting west of the British Isles. International co-operation allows for wider and more synoptic coverage of the stock and more rational utilisation of resources than uncoordinated national surveys. The survey was the sixth coordinated international blue whiting spawning stock survey since 2004. The primary purpose of the survey was to obtain estimates of blue whiting stock abundance in the main spawning grounds using acoustic methods as well as to collect hydrographic information. Results of all the surveys are also presented in national reports (F. Nansen: Oganin et al. 2009; Celtic Explorer: O’Donnell et al. 2009; M. Heinason: Jacobsen et al. 2009; Tridens: Ybema et al. 2009; Holst et al. 2009). This report is based on a workshop held after the international survey in Galway, 22-24/4/2009 where the data were analysed and the report written.