Busy summer ahead for NAFC

The Centre’s Scalloway-based vessels Atlantia II and Moder Dy will be active all around the isles throughout the spring, summer and autumn months as staff from the Department of Marine Science and Technology gather information for three specific initiatives.

The first of the surveys which began this week is utilising side scan sonar and a drop camera to survey the current extent of ‘sensitive habitats’ within areas that the Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation (SSMO) has voluntarily closed to dredging activity. The side scan sonar makes an accurate 3D picture of the seabed and can also discriminate between habitat types. The NAFC Marine Centre agreed to survey the closed areas for the SSMO to ensure that the data that they have been based on is accurate and corresponds to maerl or horse mussel beds, both of which are defined as important in the EU ‘Habitats Directive’.

Generating independent stock size estimates for the extremely important local king scallop fishery will be the purpose of the second large scale survey planned this summer. The recent assessment visit in relation to the ongoing Marine Stewardship Council accreditation that includes this species highlighted that the establishment of an annual stock assessment exercise would strengthen the case that the stock was being carefully monitored to determine the level of sustainability. The survey will also collect detailed information on by-catch species.

July and August will see the Atlantia II carrying out a survey on whitefish species around Shetland, profiling the distribution and abundance of both adult and juvenile species from shallow to deep water. The overall aim is similar to that of the scallop survey above; to establish a repeatable annual survey to estimate fish abundance and distribution that could be used as an index of stock health as data builds up over the years.