IMIS - Marine Onderzoeksgroepen

The Dutch Sole Net Survey (SNS) is carried out annually in September-October in transects in the coastal zone of the south-eastern North Sea, stretching from Scheveningen (NL) up to Esbjerg (DK). The primary objective of the SNS is to provide abundance indices for juvenile North Sea plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) and sole (Solea solea, Solea vulgaris) up to ages 3-4. These indices are used by the ICES Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak (WGNSSK) for "tuning" the VPAs and for short-term stock and catch projections. The data are hence important for management advice. Additionally, the SNS monitors non-commercial demersal fish species and benthic fauna. The reponsible group for SNS is WGBEAM.