This report provides the main results and findings of the tenth annual underwater television survey on the ‘Smalls grounds’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 22. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, CTD and other ecosystem data. A total of 33 UWTV stations were surveyed successfully (good quality video footage) carried out over an isometric grid at 4.5nmi or 8.3km intervals. Of the planned stations 17% (7) could not be completed due to very poor or nil visibility conditions encountered at seabed. For these stations density estimates were filled-in using and average of historic values within 2nmi.
The resulting krigged burrow abundance estimate for the Smalls ground decreased by 16% relative to 2014. The final abundance estimate was 1,363 million. The precision, with a CV of 7%, was well below the upper limit of 20% recommended by SGNEPS 2012. Using the 2015 estimate of abundance and updated stock data implies catch of 3,027 tonnes and landings of 2634 tonnes in 2016 fishing at Fmsy (assuming that all catch is landed). Only one species of sea pen Virgilaria mirabilis was recorded as present at the stations surveyed. Trawl marks were observed at 12% of the stations surveyed
