Undersøkelser av lodde (Mallotus vollosus) og sil (Ammodytes sp.) ved Vest-Grønland i juni - juli 1974

Abstract

The investigations was carried out with M/S «Havdrøn» as an acoustic survey of the banks and a few selected fjords from Arsukfjord (N 61°1O´, W 78°30´) to Umanakfjord (N 71°00´, W 52°OO´). The capelin stock had recently spawned when the survey started, and during the first part of the cruise capelin, apart from some small concentrations on Fyllasbank, were only found in inshore areas and fjords. Later a migration to the banks took place, and during the last part of the cruise capelin were found on all the southern banks. Samples of the capelin indicated that only the largest immature 2 and 3 years old capelin and capelin surviving the spawning had so far migrated to the banks. While most of the stock was found in inshore areas, no attempt was made to calculate the stock size of capelin of West-Greenland. It is, however, tentatively concluded that the stock size is 5 - 10 %, compared to the capelin stock in the Barents Sea. Shoals of sand eels were registered on all the banks surveyed at West-Greenland. The burrowing habits of sand eel prevents any acoustic estimation of these species, and only relative echo abundances are given. The catches consisted of mostly old fish, 6 years and older. Spawning had only commenced the southernmost banks.