Cruisereports 2022

Solea 804

The goal of the Solea 804 expedition (March 22-25, 2022) was to verify the general applicability of stationary video units for the observation of demersal fish and to compare these with catches from a 3m beam trawl. Determining an optimal sampling concept was not possible due to the shortened trip duration resulting from the unavailability of ship personnel.

Alkor AL570

The AL570 expedition with the research vessel FS ALKOR took place from March 22 to April 11, 2022. The main objectives of the MGF project are to assess the condition of the benthic ecosystem inside and outside the Natura 2000 areas Fehmarnbelt, Oder Bank, and Rönne Bank under the influence of current bottom trawling operations and to generally evaluate the impacts of bottom-contact fishing on benthic communities and biogeochemical sediment functions. The AL570 expedition completes the series of previous expeditions with EMB238 in 2020 and EMB267/268 in 2021 and aimed to inventory all components of the benthic food web, from prokaryotes to macrozoobenthos, as well as to investigate sediment properties and biogeochemical processes in selected study areas inside and outside the Natura 2000 areas. The work program included a total of 156 station activities for the biological and biogeochemical sampling of sediments. The exchange of substances between the sediments and the water column was recorded in situ using a lander and an innovative underwater vehicle. The work program was supplemented by accompanying measurements in the water column, visual observation of the seabed, and dredge deployments.

Clupea 365

From July 11 to 25, 2022, another expedition took place with the Clupea. Purpose: Investigations into changes in the benthic and demersal fish communities in the Natura 2000 protected areas Fehmarnbelt and Oder Bank.