SISP 14 - Manual for the Offshore Beam Trawl Surveys (WGBEAM)

Protocol for offshore beam trawl surveys. 

Seven countries are participating in the Working Group on Beam Trawl Surveys (WGBEAM). In total, data are collected during 9 offshore surveys.

Although the history and background of the surveys varies, the current objectives are similar for all areas:

• Create fisheries-independent abundance indices by age group (1 year olds and older) for a number of fish species (i.a. plaice, sole, dab, lemon sole, flounder, turbot, brill, monk fish) for the sampled area

• Collection of biological data on all fish species including elasmobranch species for ecosystem analysis purposes, including length measurements

• Collection of data on at least a selection of epibenthos species for ecosystem analysis purposes

• Collection of marine litter data

The indices as well as the information on elasmobranch species distribution and on marine litter are supplied to the relevant ICES (stock assessment) working groups.