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Marine Institute Open Access Repository
Welcome to the Marine Institute Open Access Repository
The Marine Institute Open Access Repository facilitates full text access to the publications of the Marine Institute in accordance with copyright permissions. The aim of the Repository is to collect, preserve and provide open access to the publications of the Marine Institute, including the research publications supported by National and European funded marine research programmes.
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FU19 Nephrops Grounds 2023 UWTV Survey Report and catch scenarios for 2024This report provides the main results of the fourteenth underwater television survey of the various Nephrops patches in Functional Unit 19. The survey was multi disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV and other ecosystem data. In 2023 a total 42 UWTV stations were successfully completed. The mean density estimates varied considerably across the different patches. The 2023 raised abundance estimate showed a 15% decrease from the 2022 estimate and at 220 million burrows is below the MSY Btrigger reference point (430 million). Using the 2023 estimate of abundance and updated stock data implies catch in 2024 that correspond to the F ranges in the EU multi annual plan for Western Waters are between 224 and 248 tonnes (assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the average of 2020–2022). One species of sea pen was observed; Virgularia mirabilis which has been observed on previous surveys of FU19. Trawl marks were observed at 10% of the stations surveyed.
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The “Smalls” Nephrops Grounds (FU22) 2023 UWTV Survey Report and catch scenarios for 2024This report provides the main results and findings of the eighteenth annual underwater television survey on the ‘Smalls grounds’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 22. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV and other ecosystem data. A total of 41 UWTV stations were surveyed successfully (high quality image data), carried out over an isometric grid at 4.5nmi or 8.3km intervals. The precision, with a CV of < 7%, was well below the upper limit of 20% recommended by SGNEPS (ICES, 2012). The 2023 abundance estimate was 13% lower than in 2022 and at 776 million is below the MSY Btrigger reference point (990 million). Using the 2023 estimate of abundance and updated stock data implies catch in 2024 that correspond to the ICES MSY approach of 1912 tonnes, assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the average of 2020 - 2022. One species of sea pen was recorded as present at the stations surveyed: Virgularia mirabilis. Trawl marks were observed at 37% of the stations surveyed.
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The Labadie, Jones and Cockburn Banks Nephrops Grounds (FU2021) 2023 UWTV Survey Report and catch scenarios for 2024This report provides the main results of the 2023 underwater television survey on the ‘Labadie, Jones and Cockburn Banks’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 2021. The 2023 annual survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV and other ecosystem data. A total of 100 UWTV stations were completed at 6 nm intervals over a randomised isometric grid design. The 2023 mean burrow density was 0.104 burrows/m2 compared with 0.101 burrows/m2 in the year 2022. The 2023 geostatistical abundance estimate was 1026 million, a 0.6% decrease on the abundance from 2022, with a CV of 4%, which is well below the upper limit of 20% recommended by SGNEPS 2012. Low to medium densities were observed throughout the ground. Using the 2023 estimate of abundance and updated stock data implies catch in 2024 that correspond to the ICES MSY approach of 1865 tonnes assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the average of 2020– 2022. Two species of sea-pen (Virgularia mirabilis and Pennatula phosphorea) were recorded as present at the stations surveyed. Trawl marks were observed at 20% of the stations surveyed.
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Aran, Galway Bay and Slyne Head Nephrops Grounds (FU17) 2023 UWTV Survey Report and catch scenarios for 2024This report provides the main results and findings of the 21st annual underwater television survey on the Aran, Galway Bay and Slyne head Nephrops grounds, ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 17. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, CTD and other ecosystem data. In 2023 a total of 44 UWTV stations were successfully completed, 34 on the Aran Grounds, 5 on Galway Bay and 5 on Slyne Head patches. The mean burrow density observed in 2023, adjusted for edge effect, was medium at 0.29 burrows/m². The final krigged burrow abundance estimate for the Aran Grounds was 356 million burrows with a CV (Coefficient of Variance; relative standard error) of 3%. The final abundance estimate for Galway Bay was 15 million and for Slyne Head was 5 million, with CVs of 7% and 4% respectively. The total abundance estimates have fluctuated considerably over the time series. The 2023 combined abundance estimate (375 million burrows) is 13% higher than in 2021, and it is below MSY Btrigger (540 million burrows). Using the 2023 estimate of abundance and updated stock data imply that catches in 2024 should be no more than 454 tonnes, according to the EU MAP and ICES MSY approach and assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the average of 2020–2022. Virgularia mirabilis was the only sea-pen species observed on the UWTV footage. Trawl marks were present at 5% of the Aran stations surveyed.
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Porcupine Bank Nephrops Grounds (FU16) 2023 UWTV Survey Report and catch scenarios for 2024This report provides the results of the eleventh underwater television on the ‘Porcupine Bank Nephrops grounds’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 16. The survey was multi disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV and other ecosystem data. In total 71 UWTV stations were successfully completed (100% of the planned stations) in a randomised 6 nautical mile isometric grid covering the full spatial extent of the stock. The mean burrow density observed in 2023, adjusted for edge effect, was 0.27 burrows/m². The final krigged abundance estimate was 2002 million burrows with a CV of 3% and an estimated stock area of 7,130 km2 . The 2023 abundance estimate was 47% higher than in 2022. Using the 2023 estimate of abundance and updated stock data imply that catches in 2024 should be between 3677 and 4560 tonnes, according to the EU MAP and ICES MSY approach (assuming that all catch is landed). Four species of sea-pen (Virgularia mirabilis, Funiculina quadrangularis, Pennatula phosphorea and the deepwater sea-pen Kophobelemnon stelliferum) were observed during the survey. Trawl marks were also observed on 20% of the stations surveyed.
