Monthly survey to study thermohaline and biological characterization of water masses in the East-North Atlantic.

ITXASO - I

Ria de Pontevedra

Annually, the European Union develops two research campaigns in the area of ​​NAFO (North Atlantic Fisheries Organization), one in the 3NO division and another in the 3M and 3L (Flemish Cap Series). This campaign is part of a historical series in order to provide indices for the evaluation of the stock of halibut and other groundfish species in the area such as flounder, redfish, grenadier, cod or shrimp. The Flemish Cap bank is an isolated bank of the American coastal platform with an area greater than 10,000 square miles and is located outside of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Canada. The exploitation of the resources of this area is regulated by the international agreements of NAFO. GOALS Estimation of abundance and biomass indices of the target species, as well as the study and analysis of the demographic structure of their populations and the oceanographic conditions in the Bank.

Estimating the abundance and population structure of the target species of the trawl fishery in the Mediterranean, identified in the MEDITS project (Annex I), studying the biology of exploited communities on the shelf and upper slope of the study area and the impact of fishing on ecosystems.

To estimate the spawning stock biomass of european anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in the Bay of Biscay in spring.

The EM 300 campaign was the first of those carried out by the B / O Vizconde de Eza. The first part of the same was used for the calibration and start-up of the multibeam echo sounder system that the vessel is equipped with, basically consisting of an EM-300 multibeam echo sounder, a Seapath-200 motion sensor, a D Seastar GPS, a GPSD Fugro, a SV Plus sound speed sensor and a Sun Ultra5 workstation, for data acquisition, with a plotter for printing the obtained data.

Carry out surveys with Side Scan Sonar Sweeping in zonesProposals. They focus on the seabed research of Mediterranean sea (Spain ), both indirect and direct. Carry out a survey of the fishing beaches to later elaborate fishing charts. Systematic bathymetric survey of the study areas with 100% coating (Multi-beam echo sounder EM-300). seismic profiles according to the ship's defeat (Topas 710 system). Performance of sound velocity profiles in the water column. Side sweep sonar in selected areas. Sediment sampling (Shipeck dredges - Box corer). Sampling of Rocky Outcrops (Rock Dredge).

They focus on the seabed research of Mediterranean sea (Spain ), both indirect and direct. Carry out a survey of the fishing beaches to later elaborate fishing charts. Systematic bathymetric survey of the study areas with 100% coating (Multi-beam echo sounder EM-300). seismic profiles according to the ship's defeat (Topas 710 system). Performance of sound velocity profiles in the water column. Side sweep sonar in selected areas. Sediment sampling (Shipeck dredges - Box corer). Sampling of Rocky Outcrops (Rock Dredge).

The goals of this campaign are framed within the objectives of the overall project 'Radial Profunda de Canarias', being the experimental cruise of the proposal. Thus, this cruise will help to: • Determine the structure of the current when it reaches the Canary Islands, of the Outcrop Current and the polar counterflow of slope in its passage through the Canary Archipelago and the African slope, stimating its mass transport, heat and nutrients. • Characterize the different modes of variability of heat and mass transport in easternorth atlantic subtropical gyre and the oucrop in northwest African coast. • Characterize the annual cycle in the physical conditions of the surface layers and mixture to where the seasonal cycle is significant, relating it to the meteorological forcings. • Characterization of changes in water masses, mainly in the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), in Antarctic Atlantic Intermediate Water (AAIW) in Mediterranean Water (MW), bottom waters of the Canary Basin and the oucrop in northwest African coast, in based on temperature, salinity, nutrients and oxygen. • To characterize the zooplancton and micronecton deep communities. • To charactereze the microbian and heterotrophic communities.