RV Endeavour Contract with P&O Maritime Services Extended
Cefas (The Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, UK) has extended the contract for the management of its research vessel Cefas Endeavour with P&O Maritime Services (P&OMS) for an additional two years until March 2019, bringing the full contract commitment to a total of 10 years. This extension will enable Cefas to continue its leading role in monitoring, data collection and fisheries stock assessment.
RV Cefas Endeavour is a multi-disciplinary 74 metre research and survey vessel which is used to deliver an extensive monitoring programme to support national and international stock assessments and to provide scientific advice on marine fish stocks.
Cefas currently carries out four annual fish stock surveys around the UK on RV Cefas Endeavour and these surveys provide information on the spatial distribution and relative abundance for important commercial species, as well as providing data for other non-commercial fish and shellfish. RV Cefas Endeavour is also employed to deliver seabed and habitat mapping surveys to underpin decision-making on the designation of Marine Protected Areas and to determine the status and quality of UK seas.
The RV Cefas Endeavour has recently returned from a three-week survey in the North Sea, successfully completing its second charter for the Dutch Government. This programme was part of International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS) operations in the North Sea, in collaboration with vessels from other European agencies, under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
Recent upgrades to the RV Cefas Endeavour’s capabilities represent Cefas’ continued investment in ensuring the vessel stays on the cutting-edge of technology and suitable for use in a broad range of applications. The newly acquired water-sampling rosette profiling system and full-HD camera complement Cefas’ existing range of specialist scientific equipment to support an extensive breadth of services.
