Title Processed CTD discrete observations from the Pelagic Fish Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 078, November 1989
Project Pelagic Biomass Survey
Authors

Mbulelo Makhetha
Oceans and Coastal Research, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE); role: Marine Scientific Technician; contact details: email: MMakhetha@environment.gov.za

Gavin Tutt
Oceans and Coastal Research, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE); role: Marine Scientific Technician; contact details: email: Gtutt@environment.gov.za

Tarron Lamont
Oceans and Coastal Research, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE); role: Marine Scientist; contact details: email: tlamont@environment.gov.za

Publisher Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (2023)
Contributors

Contact Person: Gavin Tutt
Oceans and Coastal Research, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE); role: Marine Scientific Technician; contact details: email: gtsglider@gmail.com

Abstract Here we present processed Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) discrete data from the upcast collected between 07 November and 30 November 1989 during Voyage 078 on the FRS Africana, in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) region on the west coast and the Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem (ACLME) region on the south coast of Southern Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000. The objectives of the Pelagic Fish Biomass Survey were to conduct an estimation of the biomass and population structure of anchovy, pilchard and round herring off South Africa by means of echo-integration and midwater trawling; to conduct an estimation of anchovy biomass by means of the egg production method; to describe the distribution and behaviour patterns of commercially harvested epi-pelagic and meso-pelagic fish, and the influence of oceanographic variables on these; to collect biological data on reproduction, condition and diet of pelagic fish species; to conduct an examination of the distribution, abundance and production of zooplankton in relation to the environment and to pelagic fish distribution, condition, diet and spawning activity; and lastly to conduct a profiling of currents by means of the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP).
Methods Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000. Temperature was converted from the IPTS-68 scale to the ITS-90 scale, and salinity was computed from conductivity measurements on the 1978 Practical Salinity Scale, according to UNESCO (1991) algorithms. UNESCO (1993) quality control procedures were applied to the data, and obvious erroneous values resulting from problems including electronic spikes, data collection in air, inadequate flow through the conductivity cell, among others, have been removed. Any additional calibrations or corrections have been specified in each data file, where applicable and available.
Data
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Temporal extent 11 Nov 1989 – 26 Nov 1989
Geographic extent

Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME), Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem (ACLME)

North: -33.0
South: -36.0
West: 16.5
East: 26.5

Vertical extent Max: -1044 m
Min: -0.01 m
Keywords Africana, Africana 078, Conductivity, CTD, Depth, INDIAN OCEAN, Neil Brown CTD, SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN, Temperature
Related resources
  • This digital object is described by https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000090489
  • This digital object is described by https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000138825
  • This digital object is part of Pelagic Fish Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 078, November 1989 (10.15493/DEA.MIMS.11882023)