CE0703 Mackerel Eggs Abundance Assessment Survey

This data will feed into the stock assessment as fisheries independent information. In addition, the data provides important information on the timing and location of spawning for mackerel and horse mackerel.

The survey has been running since 1977, taking place every three years, and therefore provides important information about the distribution and timing of spawning in relation to climate change. The Marine Institute participates in this programme and covers stations in the Celtic Sea. During this survey, plankton samples were collected at 112 stations, 11 fishing hauls were made to collect mackerel and horse mackerel samples for fecundity analysis.