In what areas fisheries research vessels have been working in each week since 1 January 2001 and what assessments of fish stocks have been …

I have asked Professor Hawkins, Chief Executive of Fisheries Research Services to respond. His response is as follows:A summary of the activities of the two fisheries research vessels, Scotia and Clupea, is provided in the table. The output from the stock survey cruises, when combined with additional information from sampling at fish markets and surveys of discards on commercial vessels, provides the Scottish input to internationally co-ordinated assessment work by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas. Recent assessments of particular relevance to Scotland are: Herring Assessment Working Group for the Area South of 62ºN 13-22 March 2001Working Group on Nephrops Stocks 3-11 April 2001Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea 19-28 June 2001and SkagerrakWorking Group on the Assessment of Northern Shelf Demersal Stocks 14-23 August 2001Date | Area | Task
Scotia
5-14 January | Firth of Forth, Firth of Tay, Moray Firth, Minches, Firth of Clyde, Solway Firth | Sampling of water, bottom sediments and fish to assess the biological effects of pollutants
18 January
- 6 February | North Sea
- Firth of Forth to Shetland | International trawling survey to assess the brood strengths of juvenile demersal fish stocks
7
- 24 February | N/A | Annual refit
25 February
- 13 March | North coast of Scotland, Minches, Outer Hebrides to 10° degrees W., North West of Ireland, Irish Sea | International trawling survey to assess the brood strength of juvenile demersal fish stocks.
17-28 March | Statfjord oilfield, site midway between Shetland & Norway, site in German Bight, two sites between German Bight and Aberdeen. | Sampling of water, plankton and fish, to assess the biological effects of pollutants.
2-6 April | Aberdeen Bay, Moray Firth, North Coast of Scotland | Development of new sampling equipment, calibration of sonar systems.
10 April
- 1 May | North of Scotland, Hebrides, West of Ireland, Celtic Sea | International triennial mackerel egg survey --aimed at providing a spawning stock estimate for mackerel.
4-18 May | Northern North Sea, Faroe-Shetland Channel | Hydrographic surveys and servicing of current meter/tide gauge moorings to investigate ocean climate change.
19-23 May | Firth of Forth, Moray Firth, East of Orkney | Sampling of fish for evidence of disease and to assess the biological effects of hydrocarbons.
7-29 June | Fladen, Noup, North Minch | Estimation of the distribution and abundance of Nephrops and to derive stock assessments for these areas.
3-23 July