• 

  Blue Whiting Acoustic Survey cruise report, March 20- April 06, 2018

  O'Donnell, D.; Johnston, G.; Mullins, E.; Keogh, N.; Power, J. (O'Donnell, D., Johnston, G., Mullins, E., Keogh, N. and Power, J. (2018). Blue Whiting Acoustic Survey cruise report, March 20- April 06, 2018. FSS Survey Series: 2018/01. Marine Institute, 2018)

  Acoustic surveys targeting blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) spawning and post spawning aggregations in the north east Atlantic have been carried out by the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) Norway since the early 1970s. The 2018 survey was part of an international collaborative survey using the vessels RV Celtic Explorer (Ireland), RV Tridens (Netherlands), FV Kings Bay (Norway) and the RV Magnus Heinason (Faroes). The total combined area coverage extended from the Faroe Islands in the north (62° N) to south of Ireland (51° N), with east -west extension from 1°-18° W. To the south of 51°N the Spanish research vessel the RV Miguel Oliver conducted a survey, complimentary to, but separate to the IBWSS survey, as part of their annual PELACUS survey program. International survey participants met shortly after the survey to present data and produce a combined relative abundance stock estimate and report. The combined survey report is presented annually at the WGIPS meeting held in January. The information presented here relates specifically to the Irish survey unless otherwise stated.
• 

  National Survey of Sea Lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis Krøyer and Caligus elongatus Nordmann) on Fish Farms in Ireland – 2018

  O’Donohoe, P.; Kane, F.; Kelly, S.; McDermott, T.; Casserly, J.; D'Arcy, J.; Downes, J.K.; McLoughlin, S.; Jackson, D. (Marine Institute, 2019)

  Farmed stocks of Atlantic salmon in Ireland are inspected on 14 occasions throughout the year to monitor sea lice levels as part of a national programme. Sea lice are a naturally occurring parasite found on marine fish, including salmonids. They are small ecto-parasitic copepod crustaceans and there are approximately 559 species. The objectives of the National Sea Lice Monitoring Programme are:  To provide an objective measurement of infestation levels on farms.  To investigate the nature of infestations.  To provide management information to drive the implementation of control and management strategies.  To facilitate further development and refinement of this strategy. The sea lice control and management strategy has five principal components:  Separation of generations.  Annual fallowing of sites.  Early harvest of two-sea-winter fish.  Targeted treatment regimes, including synchronous treatments.  Agreed husbandry practices.
• 

  Shellfish Stocks and Fisheries Review 2018: an assessment of selected stocks

  Marine Institute; Bord Iascaigh Mhara (Marine Institute, 2019)

  This review presents information on the status of selected shellfish stocks in Ireland. In addition, data on the fleet and landings of shellfish species (excluding Nephrops and mussels) are presented. The intention of this annual review is to present stock assessment and management advice for shellfisheries that may be subject to new management proposals or where scientific advice is required in relation to assessing the environmental impact of shellfisheries especially in areas designated under European Directives. The review reflects the recent work of the Marine Institute (MI) in the biological assessment of shellfish fisheries and their interaction with the environment. Stock status and exploitation status indicators are presented, where estimated, as a contribution to the assessment of Good Environmental Status (GES) of shellfish for Descriptor 3 (Commercial Fisheries) of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Mitigation measures to protect habitats within Natura 2000 sites, which have been developed in response to Habitats Directive Article 6 assessments and in consultation with the industry, are summarised. The competent authority for the management of these sites is the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government oversees the implementation of the MSFD in Ireland. The information and advice presented here for shellfish is complementary to that presented in the MI Stock Book on demersal and pelagic fisheries. Separate treatment of shellfish is warranted as their biology and distribution, the assessment methods that can be applied to them and the system under which they are managed, all differ substantially to demersal and pelagic stocks.
• 

  A hydrothermal AdVENTure - Build Your Own Unknown art and science project

  Dromgool-Regan, C.; Burke, N. (Marine Institute and Tulca, 2019)

  A hydrothermal AdVENTure - Build Your Own Unknown art and science project provides children with an exciting opportunity to learn about the deep ocean in a meaningful way. The cross-curricular lesson plans and teaching resources are an exemplar of using ICT, art and marine science in the classroom. From science, geography, history and English to creating art pieces, students can use their scientific and creative skills producing film and art pieces to communicate their discoveries.
• 

  Atlantic Herring and Horse Mackerel in 6aS/7b; Industry Acoustic Survey Cruise Report

  O'Malley, M.; Blaszkowski, M.; White, E.; O'Brien, S.; Mullins, E. (Marine Institute, 2019)

  An acoustic survey of Atlantic herring Clupea harengus and horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus was conducted in ICES areas 6aS/7b in Nov 2018 using the pair trawl vessels MFV Eilean Croine S238 and MFV Sparkling Star D437. This survey is the third in a time series that is hoped will be developed into a long-term index of spawning/pre-spawning herring and horse mackerel in 6aS/7b, for use in stock assessments in the future. The survey design was based on the predicted distribution of herring and horse mackerel in this area during this time. In total 1,400nmi of cruise track was completed using 37 transects and related to a total area coverage of approximately 5,600 nmi². Parallel transect spacing was set at 7.5nmi for the wider area strata, and 3.5nmi for Donegal Bay and Achill strata. Coverage extended from inshore coastal areas to the 200 m contour in the west and north where possible. A survey was carried out in Lough Swilly using a zig-zag design. A Simrad ES-38B (38 kHz) split-beam transducer mounted on a towed body was used to collect acoustic raw data. Very strong herring marks were evident in Lough Swilly, an area where boats in the monitoring fishery were concentrating effort. There were a few herring marks in discreet areas around Glen Head, Bruckless Bay, Inishmurray and Inishbofin. A total of four commercial fishing hauls on horse mackerel were completed during the survey. Biological samples from the monitoring fishery of herring were used to augment the samples from the survey. Herring samples were taken from boats fishing in Lough Swilly and Bruckless Bay as close spatially and temporally as possible to the survey in these areas. Herring were dominated overall by 4-wr fish, 29% of the overall numbers. Horse mackerel were distributed throughout the survey area, but particularly throughout the area to the north and west of the Stags of Broadhaven. Horse mackerel length distribution was dominated by a mode at 25-26cm. This corresponded to a dominance of 4-wr fish (~89%) in all of the samples. The total stock biomass (TSB) estimate of herring for the combined 6aS/7b area was 50,145 tonnes (Lough Swilly = 32,372 tonnes, Donegal Bay = 9,517 tonnes, NW area = 7,710 tonnes and the remaining Achill strata = 545 tonnes). This is considered to be a minimum estimate of herring in the 6aS/7b survey area at the time of the survey. The TSB estimate of horse mackerel for the total surveyed area in 6aS/7b area was 57,162 tonnes, considered to be a minimum estimate of horse mackerel in the 6aS/7b survey area at the time of the survey. The CV estimates on biomass and abundance are high (~0.51 for herring and ~ 0.36 for horse mackerel) for the survey in 2018. For herring, this is mostly caused by the over-reliance on a few acoustic marks of herring in Lough Swilly and Bruckless Bay in particular. Horse mackerel are a widely distributed stock, therefore the stock was not contained by this survey.

View more