Monthly sampling of physical, chemical and biological variables at N Spanish Coast

Monthly sampling of physical, chemical and biological variables at N Spanish Coast

The objectives of this cruise are framed on the project "Radial Profunda de Canarias (RAPROCAN-II)". This Project is funded by the Instituto Español de Oceanografía and the main scientific objectives are: a)Characterize the different ways of variability of heat and mass transport at the eastern end of the subtropical gyre. b)Determine the structure of current that reaches the Canary Islands, their mass transport, heat and nutrients and their interannual variability. c)Determine the correlation between heat and mass transport with the atmospheric and oceanic NAO index. d)Characterize the annual cycle in the physical condition of the surface and mixed layers as far as the seasonal cycle is significant, relating to meteorological forcing. e)Characterize of changes in water masses, mainly in the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), Intermediate Water (AAIW), Mediterranean Water (MW) and bottom water of the Canary basin, studying their characteristics of temperature, salinity, nutrients and oxygen.

Oceanographic survey collected in the framework of the PESCADIZ, STOCA and INGRES3 projects. PESCADIZ is funded by the Instituto Español de Oceanograf¿a / DCRP and the main scientific objective is to produce an index and a direct estimate of the biomass of demersal target species in the Gulf of Cádiz together with the hydrographic caracterization at the time of the cruise. STOCA is a program conducting systematic hydrographic and plankton observations along three standard sections in the eastern Gulf of Cadiz. INGRES3 is a Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation funded project that maintains a mooring line at the Spartel sill in the Strait of Gibraltar

Oceanographic survey collected in the framework of the following research project: ¿Métodos de Producción de Huevos. Estimación de la biomasa de especies pelágicas de interés comercial: sardina, anchoa, caballa y jurel (ICTIOEVA)¿. This Project is funded by the Instituto Español de Oceanografía and the main scientific objective is to produce an index and a direct estimate of the biomass of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel stock and the southern and western horse mackerel stocks using the Annual Egg Production Method (AEPM). Specific aims:a) To estimate the spawning area distribution of mackerel and horse mackerel and the daily and total mackerel and horse mackerel egg production. b) To collect adults to obtain mackerel and horse mackerel gonads for atresia and fecundity estimation c) Distribution and abundance of other commercial species of interest: sardine, anchovy, hake, blue whiting.d) To describe the oceanographic and meteorological character of the area of study with the aim of relating environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, currents) with the spatial distribution of the ichthyoplankton

The MEDITS survey (International bottom trawl survey in the Mediterranean is organized to monitor the demersal resources in the Mediterranean. It intends to produce relevant information to support the fishery policy by collecting abundance data and biological parameters of fish, crustaceans and cephalopods species. The hauls are positioned following a depth stratified sampling scheme with random drawing of the positions within each stratum. The hauls are made in the same position from year to year. The following depths are fixed in all areas as strata limits : 10 - 50 m, 50 - 100 m, 100 - 200 m, 200 - 500 m, 500 - 800 m. The protocols, including the specifications of the standard gear are described in an instruction manual. The series began in 1994 with one yearly survey. Ten Mediterranean countries are applying the Medits protocols (about 1100 hauls per year).

Oceanographic survey collected in the framework of the following research project: ¿Métodos de Producción de Huevos. Estimación de la biomasa de especies pelágicas de interés comercial: sardina, anchoa, caballa y jurel (ICTIOEVA)¿. This Project is funded by the Instituto Español de Oceanografía and the main scientific objective is to produce an index and a direct estimate of the biomass of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel stock and the southern and western horse mackerel stocks using the Annual Egg Production Method (AEPM). Specific aims:a) To estimate the spawning area distribution of mackerel and horse mackerel and the daily and total mackerel and horse mackerel egg production. b) To collect adults to obtain mackerel and horse mackerel gonads for atresia and fecundity estimation c) Distribution and abundance of other commercial species of interest: sardine, anchovy, hake, blue whiting.d) To describe the oceanographic and meteorological character of the area of study with the aim of relating environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, currents) with the spatial distribution of the ichthyoplankton

Abundance indices, distribution patterns and faunal assemblages of demersal species in the northern coast of Spain (Atlantic Galician shelf and Cantabrian sea shelf), together with the possible driving factors of their distribution. This survey belongs to the research project: ¿Evaluación de Recursos Demersales por Métodos Directos en el Área ICES¿. This Project is partly funded by the DCR of the EU and the Education and Science Spanish Ministery.The main objectives of the above mentioned project related with this survey time series are: a) to obtain abundance indices of the main exploited species in the study area; b) to estimate the strength of yearly recruitments of these species and their distribution in the area. c) to study the structure and distribution o the demersal and benthic communities in the area.

Oceanographic survey collected in the framework of the PESCADIZ and STOCA projects. PESCADIZ is funded by the Instituto Español de Oceanografía / DCRP and the main scientific objective is to produce an index and a direct estimate of the biomass of demersal target species in the Gulf of Cádiz together with the hydrographic caracterization at the time of the cruise. STOCA is a program conducting systematic hydrographic and plankton observations along three standard sections in the eastern Gulf of Cadiz.

Thermohaline and Biochemical characterization in tree standard transects belonging to Galician-Cantabric Sea waters: Finisterre, Ortegal and Cabo Mayor (Santander), covering the whole water column in every single station.