Historical UK Marine Biological Survey Data from 1902 to 1970s

1902 to the 1970s is the time range for this collection of station and biological data from research surveys conducted by Cefas in seas around the UK, primarily the North Sea. The data were collected seasonally, but coverage is lacking for the periods of both World Wars. Recording protocols varied over the decades, with some periods documenting all species caught and others focusing systematically on key commercial species like Plaice, Sole, and Cod.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term population trends for commercial fish species like Plaice, Sole, and Cod based on the survey records.
• Studying historical changes in North Sea biodiversity based on periods where all species were recorded.
• Investigating the impact of non-standardized gears and protocols on historical survey comparability.
• Modeling historical species distributions in the southern and central North Sea based on the widely distributed survey hauls.

Strengths

• Covers a long temporal series from 1902 to the 1970s.
• Includes data collected in each season, providing intra-annual coverage.
• Surveys were conducted in multiple areas, especially the southern and central North Sea.

Limitations

• Data collection was not standardized throughout the series, affecting direct comparability over time.
• Data are lacking for the periods of both World Wars, creating temporal gaps.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science), formerly the Directorate of Fisheries.

Collection Method

Research surveys carried out in seas around the UK, mostly in the North Sea.

Time Range

1902 - 1970s

Freshness

Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Geography

Seas around the UK, mostly the North Sea, especially southern and central areas.