South Western International Bottom Trawl Survey, Qtr 4 (FSS: Q4SWIBTS)

Station, catch, length, and biological data for multiple marine species collected during annual bottom trawl surveys. The surveys cover the Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, and English Channel using research vessels and GOV trawls in support of EU Data Regulations. Additional aims include the collection of benthic, water temperature, salinity, and litter data.

Use Cases

• Assess fish stock health and population dynamics based on catch and biological data.
• Model species distribution and abundance across the Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, and English Channel based on station data.
• Analyze marine ecosystem health by correlating biological data with environmental variables like temperature and salinity.
• Support policy and regulatory compliance for EU fisheries management based on the survey's stated aims.

Strengths

• Data collection supports specific EU Data Regulations, suggesting a formal and standardized methodology.
• Surveys cover multiple distinct geographic regions: the Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, and English Channel.
• Includes multiple data types: station, catch, length, biological, and environmental measurements.

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

Annual surveys using research vessels and GOV trawls.

Time Range

Annual, but specific years are unknown.

Freshness

Annual surveys, but specific last update is unknown.

Geography

Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, English Channel