South Coast Demersal Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 072, May 1989

The South Coast Demersal Hake Biomass Survey was conducted on the Africana Voyage 072 from 10 May to 29 May 1989. The objectives of the cruise were to survey by means of bottom-trawling the abundance of adult and recruiting hake, sole and other trawl target species; to make experimental bottom-trawls in deep water to collect deep-water specimens of fish and squid; to test the feasibility of an acoustic assessment of horse mackerel; to investigate the environment and ecological interrelationships of hake and other demersal species in the various depth strata; to study demersal community relationships; to investigate the occurrence, distribution and abundance of squid and squid larvae; to investigate the occurrence of line fish species in shallow waters; to study the biology of sharks and skates; and to train Oceanographic Research Assistants.