Cruise report: Irish Anglerfish & Megrim Survey 2023

Abstract

The 2023 Irish Anglerfish and Megrim Survey (IAMS) took place from 11th February to 7th March in ICES (International Council Exploration of the Sea) Divisions 7.b-c and 7.j-k, and 14th to 23rd April in ICES Division 6.a on-board the Research Vessel Celtic Explorer. The main objective of the survey was to obtain biomass and abundance indices for anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius and Lophius budegassa) and megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis and Lepidorhombus boscii) in ICES Division 6.a (south of 58°N) and Subarea 7 (west of 8°W). Secondary objectives were to collect data on the distribution, relative abundance and biology of other commercially exploited species. For the fifth year, additional sampling took place in deep water (up to 1,500m) in order to monitor the recovery of exploited deep-water species following the decline of the deep-water fisheries in Irish waters since early 2000s (Kelly and Gerritsen, 2022). This work was funded under Marine Biodiversity Schemes of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) from 2019 to 2021 and European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) since 2022. The IAMS survey is coordinated with the Scottish Anglerfish and Megrim Survey (SIAMISS) as part of ICES International Bottom Trawl Survey Working Group (IBTSWG) and uses the same gear and fishing practices.