Preliminary Report by

The Marine Institute and the National University of Ireland, Galway conducted a deepwater survey in September 2008. This survey was the third in a series, carried out on the RV Celtic Explorer, gathering fishery and hydrographic data on the continental slope to the north and west of Ireland, and on the Porcupine Bank. The survey objectives were to collect biological data on the main deepwater fish species and invertebrates. Fishing hauls were carried out at four depths, 500m, 1000m, 1500m, and 1800m, in each of three distinct Areas. Six comparative tows were carried out with Scottish Fisheries Science Service scientists aboard the RV Scotia. CTD data was collected along transects in each area. Cetacean observations were carried out by an observer from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. The fisheries data collected will provide information for assessment of deepwater stocks, and will provide a time series for CPUE. 122 species of fish were identified, with a further 8 taken ashore for further work. Background and scientific objectives of survey The Marine Institute fisheries science services ran a series of deepwater surveys along the northeastern shelf edge between 1992 and 1999. This survey programme was an important source of information on the distribution and abundance of deepwater fishes during the early development of the commercial fishery. Since then the fishery has drastically expanded and the deepwater commercial species as well as species taken as a bycatch have experienced severe fishing pressure, with many of the stocks being depleted or close to depletion. The survey was restarted in 2006, and the 2008 survey presents data from the same sites surveyed in the previous two years. As in the previous two years the survey was again coordinated with the Scottis