The overall objective of the survey was to study the acoustic properties and biological composition of the mesopelagic community along a transect spanning from inshore eutrophic coastal waters off Northwest Africa towards the eutrophic oceanic waters of the Canary basin, but it also included studies of the oceanography and plankton and jellyfish. 

Number of participants
Local participants: 10 (1 woman)
Participants from Norway: 8
International participants: 1

Specific objectives of the different studies were to:

Mesopelagic community

• Obtain concurrent information on the acoustical properties and biological composition of the mesopelagic community
• Study the acoustic properties of mesopelagic fish and other mesopelagic organisms such as squids, crustaceans, gelatinous organisms and principal zooplankton taxa including their frequency response and target strength
• Obtain biological samples and observations using different sampling gears (trawls, plankton nets and camera systems)
• Investigate the effectiveness of different sampling trawls used to sample the mesopelagic community
• Collect samples for analysis of C and N stable isotope ratios and fatty acid composition to understand the trophic roles of mesopelagic species
• Collect samples for levels of nutrients and contaminants including microplastics, parasites and microorganisms with regard to food safety and pollution

Oceanography

• Map the hydrographic/environmental conditions in the survey area (temperature, salinity, oxygen, fluorescence, irradiant light, nutrients and pH)
• Measure the principal current dynamics across the shelf, slope and basin
• Estimate the productivity along the inshore-offshore eutrophication gradient

Plankton and jellyfish

• Describe the broad distribution, abundance and taxonomic composition of jellyfish and zooplankton

This survey (including four legs 4.1-4.4) was conducted to provide a synoptic coverage of the main pelagic resources off Northwest Africa and of the oceanographic conditions in the area, and update the historic time series. Leg 4.5. was dedicated to a mesopelagic transect.

• Leg 4.1. Pelagic Stocks and Ecosystem Survey (Senegal and The Gambia)
  Period: 26 September – 7 October (12 days)
  Survey Type: Transboudary Pelagic Survey
  Port of departure: Dakar (Senegal)
  Port of arrival: Dakar (Senegal)
  Local participants: 20 (1 woman)
  Participants from Norway: 8
  
  The main objectives of this leg were to:
  
  • Map and asses the main pelagic resources and collect biological data for priority species;
  • Map occurrence and collect samples of  phytoplankton, zooplankton, egg and larvae, jellyfish;
  • Record hydrographical parameters such as temperature, salinity, oxygen, pH, and water nutrients on predefined stations;
  • Collect samples of microplastics
    
    
• Leg 4.2. Pelagic Stocks and Ecosystems Surveys (Mauritania)
  Period: 9 – 20 October (12 days)
  Survey Type: Transboundary Pelagic Survey
  Port of departure: Dakar (Senegal)
  Port of arrival: Las Palmas (Spain)
  Local participants: 17 (1 woman)
  Participants from Norway: 7
  International participants: 0
  
  The main objectives of this leg were to:
  
  • Map and asses the main pelagic resources and collect biological data for priority species;
  • Map occurrence and collect samples of phytoplankton, zooplankton, egg and larvae, jellyfish;
  • Record hydrographical parameters such as temperature, salinity, oxygen, pH, and water nutrients on predefined stations;
  • Collect samples of microplastics.
    
    
• Leg 4.3. Pelagic Stocks and Ecosystems Survey (Cap Blanc – Cap Cantin)
  Period: 24 October – 19 November (27 days)
  Survey Type: Transboundary Pelagic Survey
  Port of departure: Las Palmas (Spain)
  Port of arrival: Casablanca (Morocco)
  Local participants: 19 (2 women)
  Participants from Norway: 7
  International participants: 0
  
  The main objectives of this leg were to:
  
  • Map and asses the main pelagic resources and collect biological data for priority species;
  • Map occurrence and collect samples of phytoplankton, zooplankton, egg and larvae, jellyfish;
  • Record hydrographical parameters such as temperature, salinity, oxygen, pH, and water nutrients on predefined stations;
  • Collect samples of microplastics.
    
    
• Leg 4.4. Pelagic Stocks and Ecosystems Survey (Cap Cantin – Tanger)
  Period: 21 November – 1 December (11 days)
  Survey Type: Transboundary Pelagic Survey
  Port of departure: Casablanca (Morocco)
  Port of arrival: Casablanca (Morocco)
  Local participants: 19 (0 women)
  Participants from Norway: 9
  International participants: 0
  
  The main objectives of this leg were to:
  
  • Map and asses the main pelagic resources and collect biological data for priority species;
  • Map occurrence and collect samples of  phytoplankton, zooplankton, egg and larvae, jellyfish;
  • Record hydrographical parameters such as temperature, salinity, oxygen, pH, and water nutrients on predefined stations;
  • Collect samples of microplastics.
    
    
• Leg 4.5. Mesopelagic Transect
  Period: 3 – 16 December (13 days)
  Survey Type: Mesopelagic Transect
  Port of departure: Casablanca (Morocco)
  Port of arrival: Las Palmas (Spain)
  Local participants: 10 (1 woman)
  Participants from Norway: 8
  International participants: 1
  
  The overall objective of the survey was to study the acoustic properties and biological composition of the mesopelagic community along a transect spanning from inshore eutrophic coastal waters off Northwest Africa towards the eutrophic oceanic waters of the Canary basin, but it also included studies of the oceanography and plankton and jellyfish. 
  
  Specific objectives of the different studies were to:
  
  Mesopelagic community
  
  
  • Obtain concurrent information on the acoustical properties and biological composition of the mesopelagic community;
  • Study the acoustic properties of mesopelagic fish and other mesopelagic organisms such as squids, crustaceans, gelatinous organisms and principal zooplankton taxa including their frequency response and target strength;
  • Obtain biological samples and observations using different sampling gears (trawls, plankton nets and camera systems);
  • Investigate the effectiveness of different sampling trawls used to sample the mesopelagic community;
  • Collect samples for analysis of C and N stable isotope ratios and fatty acid composition to understand the trophic roles of mesopelagic species;
  • Collect samples for levels of nutrients and contaminants including microplastics, parasites and microorganisms with regards to food safety and pollution.

  
  Oceanography

  • Map the hydrographic/environmental conditions in the survey area (temperature, salinity, oxygen, fluorescence, irradiant light, nutrients and pH);
  • Measure the principal current dynamics across the shelf, slope and basin;
  • Estimate the productivity along the inshore-offshore eutrophication gradient.

  
  Plankton and jellyfish
  
  

  • Describe the broad distribution, abundance and taxonomic composition of jellyfish and zooplankton.
    
    

This survey included two legs 3.1-3.2. The study was carried out to provide a synoptic coverage of the main pelagic and demersal resources in the western Gulf of Guinea and of the oceanographic conditions in the area.

• Leg 3.1. Transboundary Ecosystem Survey (Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire)
  Period: 20 July – 18 August (30 days)
  Survey Type: Ecosystem Survey
  Port of departure: Tema (Ghana)
  Port of arrival: Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)
  Local participants: 22 (5 women)
  Participants from Norway: 7
  International participants: 0
  
  The main objectives of this leg were to:
  
  • Map the hydrographic and environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, nutrients, pH and ocean currents); to map primary productivity, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton and jellyfish;
  • Study the distribution and abundance of demersal and pelagic resources and the biological parameters for priority species;
  • Collect samples for genetic analysis of selected species;
  • Map the occurrence of microplastics and describing associated neustonic communities;
  • Record the occurrence of marine debris (surface and bottom trawl) and of floating seaweed aggregations (Sargassum sp.);
  • Collect samples for levels of environmental contaminants, nutrients, parasites and microorganisms related to food safety and pollution of selected species, with special regard to S. aurita, S. maderensis
• Leg 3.2. Transboundary Ecosystem Survey (Liberia to Guinea Bissau)
  Period: 22 August – 3 September (12 days)
  Survey Type: Ecosystem Survey
  Port of departure: Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)
  Port of arrival: Dakar (Senegal)
  Local participants: 22 (2 women)
  Participants from Norway: 5
  International participants: 0
  
  The main objectives of this leg were to:
  
  • Map the hydrographic and environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, nutrients, pH and ocean currents);
  • Map primary productivity, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton and jellyfish;
  • Study the distribution and abundance of demersal and pelagic resources and the biological parameters for priority species;
  • Collect samples for genetic analysis of selected species;
  • Map the occurrence of microplastics and describe associated neustonic communities;
  • Record the occurrence of marine debris (surface and bottom trawl) and of floating seaweed aggregations (Sargassum sp.).

The overall objective of the survey was to study the acoustic properties and biological composition of the mesopelagic community along a transect spanning from inshore eutrophic coastal waters off southwest Africa towards the eutrophic oceanic waters, but it also included studies of the oceanography and plankton and jellyfish. 

Number of participants
Local participants: 15 (8 women)
Participants from Norway: 0
International participants: 1

Specific objectives of the different studies were to:

Mesopelagic community

• Obtain concurrent information on the acoustical properties and biological composition of the mesopelagic community
• Study the acoustic properties of mesopelagic fish and other mesopelagic organisms such as squids, crustaceans, gelatinous organisms and principal zooplankton taxa including their frequency response and target strength
• Obtain biological samples and observations using different sampling gears (trawls, plankton nets and camera systems)
• Investigate the effectiveness of different sampling trawls used to sample the mesopelagic community
• Collect samples for analysis of C and N stable isotope ratios and fatty acid composition to understand the trophic roles of mesopelagic species
• Collect samples for levels of nutrients and contaminants including microplastics, parasites and microorganisms with regards to food safety and pollution

Oceanography

• Map the hydrographic/environmental conditions in the survey area (temperature, salinity, oxygen, fluorescence, irradiant light, nutrients and pH)
• Measure the principal current dynamics across the shelf, slope and basin
• Estimate the productivity along the inshore-offshore eutrophication gradient

Plankton and jellyfish

• Describe the broad distribution, abundance and taxonomic composition of jellyfish and zooplankton