Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Walther Herwig III	WH468	18.07.2023 - 03.08.2023	IBTS GSBTS	North Sea German Bight Southern North Sea

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Sell Anne	Thunen-Institut fur Seefischerei	Bremerhaven	Bremerhaven

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

Survey WH 468 covered fisheries research representing the German contribution to the International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS) in the annual quarter 3, as well as biodiversity data in two selected research areas within the German Small-scale Bottom Trawl Survey (GSBTS). The IBTS is a multi-national programme, coordinated by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), in order to provide information on fish populations for stock assessment of various commercially relevant species, as well as accompanying hydrographic and biological data. The GSBTS is a national program to monitor small-scale variability and long-term changes in demersal fish assemblages in relation to physical and biological habitat characteristics. As the principal fishing method, both IBTS and GSBTS sampling used a GOV (Grande Ouverture Verticale) otter board trawl, but applied in different survey designs. A large subset of the fishing hauls was accompanied by hydrographic measurements and investigations of benthic epifauna, infauna and sediments. Bycatch of marine litter in the GOV was reported in all hauls. The survey vessel departed on 18 July 2023 from Bremerhaven, returned on August 2nd and was disembarked on August 3rd.

Messungen / Measurements