1987 Eastern Irish Sea Groundfish Survey Catch Data from the Silver Star

Three surveys were conducted in 1987 aboard the fishing vessel Silver Star in the eastern Irish Sea using a Boris Goshawk trawl. The data records numbers at length by centimetre for main commercial fish species and includes station positions and a summary table for other species from cruises 01/87, 02/87, and 03/87. The dataset originates from the Government Digital Service.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical fish population size structure based on numbers at length data.
• Studying spatial distribution of commercial species based on recorded station positions.
• Comparing species composition across three survey cruises conducted in 1987.
• Investigating trawl survey methodology for groundfish using the described Boris Goshawk gear.

Strengths

• Data is focused on a specific year (1987) and geographic area (eastern Irish Sea).
• Includes a summary table for all other species beyond the main commercial ones.
• Survey methodology is described, specifying the vessel, gear type, and tow duration.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Government Digital Service

Collection Method

Surveys conducted using a Boris Goshawk trawl towed for an hour from the fishing vessel Silver Star.

Time Range

1987

Freshness

Data is historical, covering 1987. Last update date is unknown.

Geography

Eastern Irish Sea