Ichthyoplankton Analysis Data from the Western Coastal Shelf 2016

Ichthyoplankton abundance data (fish eggs and larvae) to study the Spatial abundance of the species in 2016 from the western approaches of the Celtic sea in the region between 48⁰N and 54.5⁰N between March and August along the western continental shelf from France to the waters around the middle of Ireland. These samples were loaned to Cefas by ICES WGMEGS participating nations that collected the samples. The dataset consists of 551 samples split across 6 different time periods with a total of 59,160 eggs of which 45,721 identified to 30 different taxa and 78,067 larvae of which 69,894 were identified to 72 different taxonomic groups. Within the data set the date and time is recorded along with the latitude and longitude position. For each entry at maximum depth the profiler reached and the total volume of seawater filtered (m3), calculated by flowmeters, is recorded for each record. Ichthyoplankton (fish eggs and larvae) samples were collected by a GULF VII high-speed plankton sampler by EU members that are involved in the ICES WGMEGS mackerel egg survey with the full methodology found here http://www.ices.dk/community/groups/Pages/WGMEGS.aspx. A subset of samples were selected from March to August in the region between 48N and 54.5N along the western continental shelf from France to middle of Ireland. These samples were loaned to Cefas and analysed for all remaining eggs and larvae.