Description: Spatial distribution of selected demersal fish species in the German Bight.

Data source: Data from environmental impact assessments (EIA) under the permit procedures of the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) in the North Sea EEZ and research data of the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research; time period: 2000 to 2014, mainly spring and autumn data (EIA data), but also summer and winder data (AWI data)

Sampling standards: Data of EIAs follow the standard investigation concept StUK 1-3 (BSH 2007), AWI data mainly collected in accordance with the ICES sampling standard (Rumohr 1999).

Sampling gears: EIA-data with 7-8 m (partly 6 m) beam trawl (haul: 15 min), AWI-data with a 2-3 m beam trawl (haul: 5-15 min); trawling speed 3-4 kn, codend mesh size 10 mm

Sampling: 1 haul per station and sampling date, data were recorded on board or subsamples were stored frozen for further analysis, analysis of abundance and biomass (kg wet weight) per species

Data analysis: science information system of demersal fish data, examination of quality and plausibility, data harmonisation, product computation by AWI

Product description: Grid: 10x10 km²; available selectable parameter: number of stations, minimum, maximum, mean, median and standard deviation of density (km-²) per species; classification method: natural jenks (Jenks Caspall algorithm); Note: The products contain a different classification of species density!

Note: Please regard different value ranges!

Note: Data refer exclusively to demersal fish species spectrum!

Cited literature

Rumohr, H. (1999). "Soft bottom macrofauna: Collection, treatment, and quality assurance of samples." ICES Techniques in Environmental Sciences, No. 27: 1-19.

BSH (2007): Standard Investigation of the Impacts of Offshore Wind Turbines on the Marine Environment (StUK 3), Hamburg.