2013 onwards, Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA), Rye, small fish surveys by beach seine, fyke net and beam trawl
The Sussex IFCA in collaboration with the Environment Agency (EA) and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve (RHNR) undertook small fish surveys monthly June-September on the beach to the west of Rye harbour entrance using fyke nets and a beach seine net, and in Rye bay and off Hastings and Eastbourne in September using a 2m survey beam trawl. The IFCA standard operating procedure for surveying small fish was used (a copy of this document is held by the IFCA) and the methodology conforms with the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) and the Centre for Environment and Fisheries and Aquaculture (Cefas) advice for surveying juvenile bass. All fish caught were identified to species level. The first 50 of each fish species were measured (total length from snout to tip of tail) with the remainder being counted. In addition, fork length was measured for bass, and for all bass greater than 21cm a scale sample was taken for age determination. Additional information recorded includes; water analysis (temperature, salinity, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen (percentage and mg/L) and pH), tidal state, tidal height, persons present, fish identifier and meteorological information. The data is currently stored in MS Excel spreadsheets. The objective of monitoring small fish is to develop a time series of relative abundance in the near shore habitats (areas which are commonly utilised by juvenile fish as nursery grounds). The information collected has many applications e.g. to monitor abundance over time in Marine Protected Areas, to investigate responses to specific events or to investigate the growth rate of a species.
dataset
SXIFCA0000006
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
oceans
biota
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
0.2301
0.8660
50.9402
50.7416
creation
1954-01-01
English Channel
2013-06-19
2024-04-17
publication
2013-12-11
annually
The fish species identifier is a qualified and competent marine biologist and completed small fish identification courses. Where species identification was difficult samples were sent to a specialist for species verification including the Natural History Museum, London. All fish lengths were measured to the nearest millimeter. Water chemistry parameters are gathered using a 'YSI professional Handset, Multi-parameter Proseries Instrument'.
Data is freely available for research or commercial use providing that the originators are acknowledged in any publications produced
Sussex IFCA to grant approval and to be acknowledged in any utilisation of the data
Data Manager
Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
originator
Data Manager
Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
custodian
Data Manager
Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
pointOfContact
2013-12-11