International Acoustic Survey on Blue Whiting in the Norwegian Sea, August 1984.

Abstract

Six research vessels from the five nations, USSR, Norway, Faroe Islands, Iceland and GDR participated in the third ICES-coordinated acoustic survey on blue whiting in the Norwegian Sea and adjacent waters. By use of instrument constants obtained from calibration either against a standard target or with a hydrophone, the integrator values were standardized and combined. Blue whiting was recorded over the major part of the Norwegian Sea on the warmer side of the Polarfront. The highest concentrations were found in the southern part of the investigated area, especially off the northern coast of Farce Islands, the southern coast of Iceland and in a limited area between Iceland and Greenland. The acoustic estimate resulted in a total biomass of 3.8 mill. tonnes of blue whiting, which is an increase of 1 mill. tonnes since August 1983.