1. Introduction

Survey objectives.

The general objectives of the programme as discussed and agreed at the planning meeting in Trinidad, 12-14 January are summarized in the Preliminary Report of Cruise No. I Part I. In the following the objectives for Survey III are clarified and amended on the basis of experience from previous surveys and from discussions with representatives from the participating countries. In principle the programme should be a repetition of that of Survey I and II. The main objective of the acoustic survey is an estimate of biomass, composition and distribution of the pelagic stocks in the region. The experience of previous surveys indicate low catchability of sardinella in the pelagic trawling even at night, and an attempt to improve the trawl method should be implemented during the survey. The ground trawl survey is aiming at a biomass estimate based on a swept area method and trawling should be carried out mainly during daytime.

The following amendments of the programme should be made:

1) The hydrografic profile east of Margarita Island should be moved to Cabo tres Puntas; the profile Fosa de Cariaco should be moved east closer to Margarita Island and those made during Cruise II should be repeated.
2) The sampling effort with pelagic trawl in the sardine fishing area should be increased.
3) Intensify sampling effort on the Blanquilla platform and on the slope of the eastern coast.
4) Perform trawling in more than 400 m depth north of La Guaira and north and east of Margarita Island in order to look for octopuses.
5) Perform trawling in Placer de la Guaira including Los Roques Island to the north.
6) Perform trawling in the Golfo Triste on the 180 and 600 m depth.
7) Intensified fishing for shrimps in deep water and on the slope. Fishing for Penaeid shrimps at night in inshore waters should be repeated. Carapax and total length should be measured to establish convertion factors.
8) The inshore shelf inside Cariaco Trench west of Puerto La Cruz could be given low priority.

Participation.

The following scientific staff participated from Venezuela:

Port of Spain to La Guaira: Diana Zaera, Ayurami Alcala, Ramon Guzman, Jesus Sergovia, Luis Marcano, Efigenio Velazquez.
La Guaira to Punto Fijo: Diana Zaera. Ayurami Alcala, Jesus Sergovia, Roberto Cipriani, Marco Tulio Badaracco, Orlando Ferrer.

From FAO:

Alvaro Abella

The scientific staff from IMR, Bergen, was:

O. Hagstrøm, H. Ullebust, T. Haugland, E. Molvær.