TRANS-ATLANTIC RESEARCH

CRUISES (2011-2013)



CENTRE FOR FISHERIES ECOSYSTEMS
RESEARCH (CFER, CANADA)
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Who youre listening to from St. J ohns
Jonathan Fisher,
Research Scientist within
CFER

Interests in fisheries,
ecosystem dynamics,
macroecology, size
structure, biological
oceanography

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Newfoundland food fishery, Sept. 24, 2011
Who youre also listening to from St.
J ohns

George Rose, Scientific Director of
CFER
Led 2011 mission, will lead 2012,
2013 missions
Expertise in fisheries, acoustics,
oceanography; long track-record of
success led to establishment of CFER
in 2010
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What is the Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems
Research?
Established in J uly 2010 with major funding from the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador
focus on fisheries ecosystem science with the goal of ensuring that our
fisheries be sustainable for future generations

55% of the support allocated to staff and inshore research; 45%
allocated to chartered vessel time

In October 2010, the Marine Institute chartered the RV Celtic Explorer
from the Irish Marine Institute for offshore and trans-Atlantic surveys
(2011-2013)

Fortuitous timing for potential collaboration with Euro-BASIN
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RV Celtic Explorer technical specs
65.5 m; Gross 2425 T
For 4 page vessel
description, see
http://www.marine.ie/NR/rdonlyres/2D
96A231-D556-44DC-9671-
E478185BDD34/0/CESpecs.pdf
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Survey the biomass and age-
size structure of overwintering
cod within Newfoundland
waters
Collect otoliths for ageing and
studies of cod distribution and
movements via microchemistry
Collect cod stomachs and
tissue samples for isotope
analyses to determine feeding

Study the impact of a fishery
closed area on the distribution
and abundance of fish and
crustaceans
Collect oceanographic data
Listen for cod tagged with
active transmitters (Canadian
DFO)
Collect acoustic (fish-
plankton), CPR (plankton),
oceanographic, and seabird
and whale data across the
North Atlantic
Provide a training platform for
graduate students

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CFER
2011 Celtic Explorer mission objectives
February 2011
Last conducted in
2008
Acoustic survey with
fishing (Campelen
Trawl)
This research fell
between two
crossings
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CFER
Cod overwintering survey

RV Celtic Explorer trans-
Atlantic cruise paths (2011)
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Daily cruise blog and photos online
http://scientistsatsea.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html
J anuary 29,
depart Ireland
February 6,
arrive St. J ohns
Weather was a factor during trans-Atlantic
crossing (photos from Day 4)
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Severe weather
temporarily halted
even XBT casts;
lesson learned!

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Daily cruise blog and photos online
http://scientistsatsea.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html
Shelf surveys, avoiding rough weather:
remainder of February to March 2
Rough winter weather = later spring
surveys planned for 2012, 2013
RV Celtic Explorer trans-
Atlantic cruise paths (2011)
Oceanography
XBT, XCTD data
every 30 miles

Data also shared
with WHOI, BIO
researchers
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CFER
Trans-Atlantic science (2011)
temperature (Rose et al. unpublished)

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Trans-Atlantic science (2011)
(Rose et al. unpublished)
Mid-Atlantic ridge data
over rough seabed





Deep scattering layer
evident
Oceanography
Acoustics-plankton
Seabirds
Marine mammals
Deep scattering layer
Paper in progress
(Rose et al.)
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CFER
Trans-Atlantic science (2011)
CFER
(Local) continuous acoustic transects
18 kHz
38 kHz
120 kHz
200 kHz

Beyond 2011: potential connections to EURO-BASIN
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BASIN September meeting
Objectives: Discuss synergy in
sampling techniques &
approaches, data flow and
sharing, collaboration within the
project and involvement of North
American partners

CRUISE Campaigns 2012-2013 (updated Sept 2011) FP7 EURO-BASIN, www.euro-basin.eu
Jan Feb Ma
r
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Celtic Explorer, Memorial Un.
(external contribution)
as listed in POGO-SCOR & EUROFLEETS Cruise Databases
G.O. Sars, IMR
B. Saemundsson, MRI, Iceland
Maria S. Meriam, DFG
Meteor, DFG
Celtic Explorer, Memorial Un.
(external contribution)
G.O. Sars, IMR
B. Saemundsson
James Cook, NOC, UK
RV Dana, DTU-Aqua
(external contribution)
RV Dana, DTU-Aqua
(external contribution)
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Beyond 2011: potential connections to EURO-BASIN
CFER has a total of 4 more trans-
Atlantic crossings scheduled (2012,
2013)

Our colleagues in Ireland are
planning some additional
oceanography on our 2012 trip and
will be funding that (still in planning
stage) and we will be working closely
with them on this and other aspects of
the research. Although our focus is on
the continental shelf fisheries, we do
need to get a better handle on the
whole North Atlantic ecosystem (it isn't
all continental shelf).

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Late April
2012
depart
Ireland
May 8, 2012
depart St.
J ohns
Early J une
2012return
to Ireland
2012 trans-Atlantic dates known
at the moment at least we should be listed as basin-
independent activities, but of common interest; but we are
interested in as close a collaboration as we can.

we are open to modifying what we do on the crossings
if it will benefit an overall research effort. We are
particularly interested in oceanography, the acoustics of
the mesopelagic (deep scattering layer) and concurrent
distributions of marine mammals and seabirds.


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Beyond 2011: potential connections to EURO-BASIN
Lessons learned by CFER in 2011 and possible
points of discussion
2011 late winter crossing was rough and limited surveyed
area future surveys will be in late Spring (should still see
cod aggregations)
2011 data suggest interesting trans-Atlantic
oceanographic and species distribution patterns
The duration of trans-Atlantic crossings appear to differ
between CFER and Euro-BASIN
2012, 2013 CFER trans-Atlantic objectives remain flexible
CFER has an interest in international collaborations

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