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Use the URI link below to search the Marine Institute Data Discovery Catalogue for datasets relevant to this report., This report provides the main results and findings of the seventh annual underwater television on the ‘Smalls grounds’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 22. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, fishing, CTD and other ecosystem data. An analysis of the precision, accuracy and sampling intensity trade-offs showed that sampling intensity could be reduced without compromising the utility of the survey. Consequently, sampling intensity was reduced this year from around 100 stations in the past to 47 stations this year. The krigged burrow abundance estimate for Smalls ground has increased by 17% relative to 2011and was the second highest in the 7 year history of the survey. Abundance estimates have been fairly stable over the time series. The 2012 randomised isometric grid design result in a CV (or relative standard error) of 8%. Well below the upper limit of 20% recommended by SGNEPS 2012. Nephrops accounted for 22% of the catch weight from 6 beam trawl tows. Length-weight, maturity and by-catch data are all reported.

Use the URI link below to search the Marine Institute Data Discovery Catalogue for datasets relevant to this report., This report provides the results of the first underwater television on the ‘Porcupine Bank Nephrops grounds’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 16. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, CTD and other ecosystem data. The UWTV results and a scientific basis for survey based catch advice in 2013 are presented. In total 47 UWTV stations were successfully completed. The mean burrow density was 0.19 burrows/m² (empirical 95% confidence intervals are from 0.17-0.21). The final krigged abundance estimate was 992 million burrows with a relative standard error of 5% and an estimated stock area of 7,100km2. This abundance estimate can be considered as a conservative estimate given that the spatial coverage of the southern part of the ground was not complete. A correction factor of 1.26 is proposed based on expert judgments of burrow size and potential detection and identification biases. A yield and spawner per recruit analysis was used to estimate a harvest rate of 5.0% for the combined sex F0.1 and other F reference points. This harvest rate is low compared to other FUs and can be considered very conservative. Applying this harvest rate to the abundance observed in the survey and using a mean weight in the landings of 45.0g implies landings in 2013 of 1,770 t. The results here could form the basis of the catch advice for 2013.

Use the URI link below to search the Marine Institute Data Discovery Catalogue for datasets relevant to this report., This report provides the main results and findings of the eleventh annual underwater television on the Aran, Galway Bay and Slyne head Nephrops grounds, ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 17. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, fishing, CTD and other ecosystem data. The sampling intensity was reduced this year from around 75 stations in the past to 31 on the Aran grounds. A randomised isometric grid design was employed with UWTV stations at 3.5nmi or 6.5km intervals. Previously a 2.25 nmi square grid was used. The kigged burrow abundance estimate declined by 34% relative to 2011 with a CV (or relative standard error) of 5 %. Abundance estimates have fluctuated considerably over the time series but the 2012 abundance is the lowest in the 11 year history of the survey. Four UWTV stations were carried out on the Galway Bay and 3 on the Slyne Head Nephrops grounds. Raised abundance estimates for Galway Bay and Slyne Head are provided based on improved knowledge of the boundaries of those areas. Nephrops accounted for 85% of the benthic catch by weight from 4 beam trawl tows. The observed length frequency and maturity of female Nephops caught was similar to previous years. Various further investigations needed before the next ICES benchmark are discussed.

This report provides the main results and findings of the tenth annual underwater television on the ‘Aran grounds’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 17. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, fishing, CTD and other ecosystem data. In total 76, 10 and 7 UWTV stations were successfully completed on the Aran, Galway Bay and Slyne Head Nephrops Grounds. The observed abundance estimate for the main Aran ground has declined by 23% relative to 2010. Abundance estimates have fluctuated over the time series. The 2011 abundance is the third lowest in the 10 year history of the survey. This is not a cause for immediate concern about the stocks sustainability. Raised abundance estimates for Galway Bay and Slyne Head are provided for the first time based on improved knowledge of the boundaries of those areas. Nephrops accounted for 26% of the catch weight from 10 beam trawl tows. The observed length frequency and maturity of female Nephops caught was similar to previous years. Various further investigations needed before the next ICES benchmark are discussed.

Use the URI link below to search the Marine Institute Data Discovery Catalogue for datasets relevant to this report., This report provides the main results and findings of the second underwater television survey of the various Nephrops grounds in Functional Unit 19. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, CTD and other ecosystem data. In total 35 UWTV stations were successfully completed on the following Nephrops grounds: Bantry Bay, Galley, Cork Channels and Helvick. Raised abundance estimates for these grounds are provided for the first time based on improved knowledge of the boundaries of those areas.

Nephrops norvegicus is a valuable market species in the North-East Atlantic and it is of economic importance to Ireland. The present study investigated the status of the Aran ground stock, frequently ranked within the top two commercially valuable “fish” landed. Since 2002, under water TV surveys have been developed to provide a fishery independent estimate of burrow abundance in areas that exhibited a steady decrease in Nephrops over two decades contrasting with the increasing landings. In order to identify stock status and provide reliable information to management, we used a number of different approaches in the fields of time series analysis, spatial analysis and fisheries stock assessment. We examined the temporal fluctuations in a 16 year time series of landings in Aran grounds and found fluctuating cycles within an overall decreasing trend. This stock dynamic was also compared with the other main areas of harvest off the coast of Ireland (Smalls ground, Porcupine Bank, and the west Irish Sea) disclosing a regional common trend in the pattern of the stocks for connecting areas. Regional climatic influences (e.g NAO, AO and AMO) have been detected on various time scales ranging from month to years and the time series analysis method appears effective for detecting changes in fishing behaviours. Spatial analysis of the burrow density over the stock area revealed patchy distribution varying in size and intensity over the years with a spatio-temporal trend marked by a depletion of abundance in midfield with noticeable consequences for fishing vessel activity at a regional level. This spatial approach enabled the evaluation of the influence of the mud content of the seabed on the density of burrows and to explore the potential impact of the prevailing current circulation pattern during the planktonic stage of Nephrops on the level of recruitment by using remote sensing data. For an optimal fisheries management strategy, demographic information for the exploited species is necessary and for Nephrops, effective stock assessment is hampered because of the difficulty in age determination. A biomass model with a Schaefer surplus yield component and a data limited CMSY method were chosen to address the lack of age data and to predict biomass and related key fisheries reference points. Both approaches underline the ongoing decline of Nephrops abundance and reveal warning signals of unsustainable fishing exploitation.