Cruise report: Irish Beam trawl Ecosystem Survey 2017

Abstract

The second annual Irish Beam trawl Ecosystem (IBES) took place from 7-16th March 2017 on RV Celtic Explorer in the western Celtic sea. The main objective of the survey is to connect the Irish Anglerfish and Megrim Survey (IAMS) to the UK beam trawl surveys in the Celtic Sea, English Channel and Irish Sea, with the purpose of providing a swept-area biomass estimate for anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius and L. budegassa) in area VII. Secondary objectives are to collect data on the distribution and relative abundance of commercially exploited species as well as invertebrates and by-catch species, particularly vulnerable and indicator species. The survey also collects maturity and other biological information for commercial fish species in the western Celtic Sea. The IBES survey uses the same gear, methods and stratification as the CEFAS Q1 South-west Ecosystem Survey (Q1SWECOS). The IBES survey is formally coordinated by the ICES Working Group on Beam Trawl Surveys