Scientific survey report

Danish International Bottom Trawl Survey

2026

The Danish research vessels Dana and Havfisken are used for the Danish participation in the Baltic International Trawl Survey (BITS), which, since 1982, has had the purpose of annually monitoring cod and other species.

Internationally, each nation surveys part of the area, with some overlap in coverage and depth stratification, in a coordinated sampling design. After agreement between countries a common standard trawl gear and standard sampling procedures were implemented in 2000, resulting in the consistent coverage of the western and central Baltic Sea.

The BITS is conducted twice a year in the first and fourth quarters as a depth-stratified survey. The strata are based on sub-divisions and depth layers. Each year the necessary stations are randomly selected before the beginning of the international trawl surveys, from a list of clear haul data. These stations are a stratified randomly selected sub-sample of the possible trawl tracks.

The standard haul is a 30-minutes haul with a towing speed of 3 knots. Trawling only takes place during daylight, defined as the time between 15 minutes past sunrise and 15 minutes before sunset.

All data can be found in the ICES DATRAS database (https://datras.ices.dk/Data_products/Download/Download_Data_public.aspx) and details about the survey design and survey standardization before 2000 can be found in the ICES BITS manual (Anon. 2000).

Funding

The data collection is co-funded by the European Union through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.

Period

Quarter 1

Activity

Here is shown a map with the survey activity for both vessls. The map shows both valid and invalid stations, a station can be deemed invalid if the haoul could not be conducted within the guilines of the survey manual

Trawl Stations

Each trawl stations consists a haul of 30 minutes where all the catch documented, including litter. Biological samples to determine e.g. stock, age matuity are taken from individual fish.

Bongo Stations

Each bongo stationsions in conducted with a set of three bongonets, with net sizes 150, 300 and 500 micrometers. These are used for the registartion of fishlarvey, plankton abundance and jelly fish.

CTD Stations

CTD (Conductivity - Temperature - Depth), are measured trough the water column, and used to calculate e.g. the oxygen and salinity content, key environmental variables for life in the ocean.

CTD Results

Here is shown a map the results of the CTD measurments at the bottom. The heatmap is made with linear interpolation between measurments, and can be seen as the general trend in the monment of the survey. If any CTD stations are not plotted data has not yet been precessed

Bottom oxygen

Bottom temperature

Bottom salinity

Catch Overview

Below is a table with the total catche and catches for selected species, in wiegth and numbers. The numbers are in some instances calculated based on representative subsampling of some abundant species. The maps illustrates for biodiveity the number of different species cougt on each station, and for CPUE (catch per unit effort) the catch in numbers standadized to a unit effort of one hour of hauling.
Weight (kg) Number Min. Length (mm) Max. Length (mm)
Total Catch 41968.8 1369670
Herring 13456.0 361868 70 300
Sprat 6331.7 655251 45 180
Cod 5364.9 39067 40 740
Plaice 2811.1 50728 90 380
Sole 9.4 103 70 400

CPUE

CPUE (catch per unit effort) shown as the catch in Numbers rasied to to pr hour of hauling

CPUE for Selected Species

CPUE (catch per unit effort) shown as the catch in Numbers rasied to to pr hour of hauling. The dots indicates the stations, and red dots indicates that a species where not found at all in that station. The scale is different between plots

Cod

Plaice

Sole

Sprat

Herring

Biodiversity

Shown is the Number of species cought by station

Length Distributions

Here is shown the length distribution For the 10 most abundant comercieal species cought during the survey, allocated to each ship. The black line represents the average length distribution of the 5 years previus surveys.

Sprat

Herring

Dab

Plaice

Whiting

Cod

Flounder

Grey gurnard

Haddock

Horse mackerel

All Species Caught

The table below is an overview of all the different species cought in the survey, devided into the different ices areas covered by the surve.

Area 20

Latin name English name Weight (kg) Number Min. Length (mm) Max. Length (mm)
Arnoglossus laterna Scaldfish 0.1 5 110 130
Buglossidium luteum Solenette 0.0 1 100 100
Callionymus lyra Common dragonet 16.5 467 110 230
Clupea harengus Herring 147.0 5139 110 245
Eutrigla gurnardus Grey gurnard 0.7 29 80 210
Gadus morhua Cod 12.9 82 130 730
Hippoglossoides platessoides Long rough dab 23.2 938 100 210
Limanda limanda Dab 23.4 345 130 270
Liocarcinus depurator Blue-leg swimming crab 0.4 27
Loligo Loligo sp 0.6 5 60 240
Lumpenus lampretaeformis Snake blenny 0.0 1 190 190
Melanogrammus aeglefinus Haddock 1.7 7 180 390
Merlangius merlangus Whiting 32.6 427 150 390
Merluccius merluccius Hake 1.0 12 140 320
Microstomus kitt Lemon sole 0.8 13 110 230
Mullus surmuletus Striped red mullet 0.1 2 150 150
Myoxocephalus scorpius Sculpin 0.1 2 160 160
Nephrops norvegicus Norway lobster 21.0 589
Ommastrephidae 0.0 1 90 90
Platichthys flesus Flounder 2.0 8 130 310
Pleuronectes platessa Plaice 5.8 105 100 320
Pomatoschistus spp. Sand gobies 0.0 1 100 100
Scomber scombrus Mackerel 0.3 7 170 200
Solea solea Sole 0.2 1 250 250
Squalus acanthias Spurdog 2.3 1 810 810
Trachinus draco Greater weever fish 0.2 1 310 310
Trachurus trachurus Horse mackerel 0.2 11 110 150
Trisopterus esmarkii Norway pout 1.8 132 90 150
Zeugopterus punctatus Topknot 0.0 1 90 90

Area 21

Latin name English name Weight (kg) Number Min. Length (mm) Max. Length (mm)
Aequipecten opercularis/Pecten maximus Scallops 0.5 15
Agonus cataphractus Pogge 0.0 2 150 160
Amblyraja radiata Starry ray 0.8 1 490 490
Ammodytes marinus Lesser sandeel 0.0 4 80 195
Anguilla anguilla Eel 0.6 1 640 640
Aphrodita aculeata Sea Mouse 0.6 10
Arctica islandica Ocean quahaug 11.8 208
Argentina silus Great silver smelt 0.1 8 70 140
Argentina sphyraena Lesser silver smelt 0.0 2 70 75
Arnoglossus laterna Scaldfish 2.0 185 60 150
Asterias rubens Common starfish 14.8 259
Buccinum undatum Waved Whelk 8.3 129
Buglossidium luteum Solenette 0.1 10 70 130
Callionymus lyra Common dragonet 23.7 903 70 240
Callionymus maculatus Spotted dragonet 2.5 227 90 160
Cancer pagurus Edible crab 5.9 9 100 195
Carcinus maenas Common shore crab 4.9 12
Cerastoderma edule Common cockle 0.1 2
Chelon labrosus Thick lipped mullet 0.1 1 190 190
Clupea harengus Herring 1356.5 43459 70 295
Crangon crangon Common shrimp 0.1 117
Ctenolabrus rupestris Goldsinny 0.0 3 30 50
Cyclopterus lumpus Lumpfish 0.2 1 170 170
Echinocardium cordatum Heart-urchin 0.2 2
Enchelyopus cimbrius Four-bearded rockling 0.6 23 130 210
Engraulis encrasicolus Anchovy 1.0 90 90 170
Entelurus aequoreus Snake pipefish 0.1 4 330 500
Eutrigla gurnardus Grey gurnard 74.6 1568 80 370
Gadus morhua Cod 70.4 417 130 580
Gasterosteus aculeatus Three-spined stickleback 0.0 1 50 50
Glyptocephalus cynoglossus Witch 0.3 5 200 250
Hippoglossoides platessoides Long rough dab 105.3 5030 60 250
Holothuroidea Sea cucumbers 0.8 7
Labrus bergylta Ballan wrasse 0.0 1 90 90
Limanda limanda Dab 1346.2 32527 70 300
Liocarcinus depurator Blue-leg swimming crab 15.3 1119
Loligo Loligo sp 2.8 413 30 180
Lumpenus lampretaeformis Snake blenny 3.2 271 130 300
Macropodia rostrata Long-legged spider crab 4.0 90
Melanogrammus aeglefinus Haddock 268.2 982 150 390
Merlangius merlangus Whiting 2208.9 29375 100 340
Merluccius merluccius Hake 8.5 183 90 380
Microstomus kitt Lemon sole 4.0 48 130 260
Modiolus modiolus 0.6 2
Mullus surmuletus Striped red mullet 5.8 97 100 270
Myoxocephalus scorpius Sculpin 33.1 309 90 260
Mytilus edulis Blue mussel 2.2 56
Myxine glutinosa Hagfish 0.0 1 300 300
Nephrops norvegicus Norway lobster 97.9 2608
Ommastrephidae 0.3 2 90 200
Pagurus bernhardus 8.4 269
Pandalus borealis Northern pink shrimp 8.0 1403
Petromyzon marinus Sea lamprey 0.0 1 200 200
Pholis gunnellus Butter fish 0.4 14 170 220
Platichthys flesus Flounder 543.7 3035 110 420
Pleuronectes platessa Plaice 1237.4 23540 90 380
Pollachius virens Saithe 0.1 2 190 190
Pomatoschistus spp. Sand gobies 0.1 16 50 100
Raja clavata Thornback ray 6.9 7 320 670
Scomber scombrus Mackerel 2.4 33 200 280
Scophthalmus maximus Turbot 1.1 2 210 350
Scophthalmus rhombus Brill 20.6 47 150 510
Scyliorhinus canicula Lesser-spotted dogfish 0.0 1 200 200
Solea solea Sole 5.5 35 140 400
Spinachia spinachia Ten spined stickleback 0.0 1 150 150
Sprattus sprattus Sprat 437.8 38858 45 150
Squalus acanthias Spurdog 5.6 11 220 830
Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis Green sea urchin 5.3 120
Syngnathidae Pipefishes and seahorses 0.0 2 110 440
Syngnathus acus Great pipefish 0.1 2 360 430
Trachinus draco Greater weever fish 13.6 174 50 320
Trachurus trachurus Horse mackerel 7.5 538 90 200
Trigla lucerna Tub gurnard 1.6 7 140 430
Trisopterus esmarkii Norway pout 4.7 371 80 190
Trisopterus minutus Poor-cod 1.1 28 110 240
Zoarces viviparus Eelpout 0.0 1 190 190

Area 22

Latin name English name Weight (kg) Number Min. Length (mm) Max. Length (mm)
Aequipecten opercularis/Pecten maximus Scallops 0.4 16
Agonus cataphractus Pogge 2.1 123 80 170
Amblyraja radiata Starry ray 0.7 1 480 480
Ammodytes marinus Lesser sandeel 0.1 8 140 200
Aphrodita aculeata Sea Mouse 0.1 17
Arctica islandica Ocean quahaug 5.3 302
Arnoglossus laterna Scaldfish 1.6 132 80 160
Asterias rubens Common starfish 96.4 831
Buccinum undatum Waved Whelk 20.5 521
Buglossidium luteum Solenette 0.0 1 100 100
Callionymus lyra Common dragonet 10.1 325 50 220
Callionymus maculatus Spotted dragonet 0.0 6 80 120
Cancer pagurus Edible crab 0.5 1 150 150
Carcinus maenas Common shore crab 5.7 93
Cerastoderma edule Common cockle 0.6 30
Ciliata mustela Five-bearded rockling 0.1 1 210 210
Clupea harengus Herring 1847.3 106464 75 275
Crangon crangon Common shrimp 0.4 241
Ctenolabrus rupestris Goldsinny 0.0 7 40 70
Echinocardium cordatum Heart-urchin 8.4 1189
Enchelyopus cimbrius Four-bearded rockling 0.1 4 170 190
Engraulis encrasicolus Anchovy 0.7 88 80 140
Eutrigla gurnardus Grey gurnard 12.7 299 70 320
Gadus morhua Cod 36.6 301 120 690
Gaidropsarus vulgaris Three-bearded rockling 0.2 2 220 230
Gasterosteus aculeatus Three-spined stickleback 3.5 1327 50 80
Glyptocephalus cynoglossus Witch 0.5 6 190 270
Gobius niger Black goby 0.6 162 40 140
Hippoglossoides platessoides Long rough dab 36.9 1191 90 270
Holothuroidea Sea cucumbers 0.1 8
Hyas araneus Atlantic Lyre Crab 4.0 58
Limanda limanda Dab 1616.3 46710 50 330
Liocarcinus depurator Blue-leg swimming crab 14.7 1574
Loligo Loligo sp 1.0 144 40 100
Lumpenus lampretaeformis Snake blenny 0.9 85 120 270
Macropodia rostrata Long-legged spider crab 12.2 207
Melanogrammus aeglefinus Haddock 26.5 162 170 330
Merlangius merlangus Whiting 626.7 9421 110 300
Merluccius merluccius Hake 0.7 3 310 330
Microstomus kitt Lemon sole 1.0 5 210 300
Mullus surmuletus Striped red mullet 2.9 58 130 220
Myoxocephalus scorpius Sculpin 73.0 1077 80 230
Mytilus edulis Blue mussel 54.7 1976
Neogobius melanostomus Round goby 3.1 257 50 140
Nephrops norvegicus Norway lobster 0.1 1
Pagurus bernhardus 22.6 957
Palaemon adspersus Pink shrimp(nei) 0.0 3
Palaemon elegans Grass prawm 0.0 2
Pholis gunnellus Butter fish 0.2 15 110 270
Platichthys flesus Flounder 355.5 2432 120 380
Pleuronectes platessa Plaice 589.2 15256 90 370
Pomatoschistus spp. Sand gobies 2.4 1030 40 90
Salmo trutta Sea trout 1.6 1 510 510
Scophthalmus rhombus Brill 0.3 4 170 200
Solea solea Sole 2.9 63 70 300
Spinachia spinachia Ten spined stickleback 0.1 8 100 330
Sprattus sprattus Sprat 3024.2 373715 60 180
Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis Green sea urchin 10.2 269
Syngnathidae Pipefishes and seahorses 0.0 18 110 400
Trachinus draco Greater weever fish 0.4 5 140 320
Trachurus trachurus Horse mackerel 0.2 14 100 140
Trigla lucerna Tub gurnard 0.2 4 140 190
Trisopterus minutus Poor-cod 0.4 19 90 180
Zoarces viviparus Eelpout 0.5 21 100 230
0.2 16

Area 23

Latin name English name Weight (kg) Number Min. Length (mm) Max. Length (mm)
Acipenser sturio Sturgeon 2.0 1 800 800
Agonus cataphractus Pogge 0.0 1 170 170
Amblyraja radiata Starry ray 1.8 4 310 440
Arnoglossus laterna Scaldfish 0.8 46 100 160
Asterias rubens Common starfish 4.0 90
Buglossidium luteum Solenette 0.0 1 100 100
Callionymus lyra Common dragonet 0.7 25 70 220
Clupea harengus Herring 64.3 2196 75 300
Crangon crangon Common shrimp 0.0 5
Echinocardium cordatum Heart-urchin 0.2 14
Eutrigla gurnardus Grey gurnard 3.3 50 100 300
Gadus morhua Cod 1537.6 7457 90 430
Gasterosteus aculeatus Three-spined stickleback 0.0 1 50 50
Gobius niger Black goby 0.2 5 100 170
Hippoglossoides platessoides Long rough dab 1.2 43 110 270
Hyperoplus lanceolatus Greater sandeel 0.0 2 165 170
Limanda limanda Dab 702.6 9302 80 290
Liocarcinus depurator Blue-leg swimming crab 0.2 14
Loligo Loligo sp 0.4 63 40 100
Lumpenus lampretaeformis Snake blenny 0.0 1 190 190
Melanogrammus aeglefinus Haddock 0.5 2 300 310
Merlangius merlangus Whiting 207.1 2353 120 330
Microstomus kitt Lemon sole 0.4 2 260 290
Mullus surmuletus Striped red mullet 0.3 4 140 250
Myoxocephalus scorpius Sculpin 9.7 68 100 300
Mytilus edulis Blue mussel 619.8 54958
Pagurus bernhardus 4.7 165
Platichthys flesus Flounder 141.7 716 70 380
Pleuronectes platessa Plaice 485.8 4504 120 350
Pollachius pollachius Pollack 0.1 1 240 240
Pollachius virens Saithe 0.1 1 220 220
Pomatoschistus spp. Sand gobies 0.1 33 20 110
Scophthalmus maximus Turbot 0.8 2 190 320
Scophthalmus rhombus Brill 8.4 22 180 480
Solea solea Sole 0.6 3 130 320
Spinachia spinachia Ten spined stickleback 0.0 1 160 160
Sprattus sprattus Sprat 25.7 3062 65 160
Syngnathidae Pipefishes and seahorses 0.0 6 100 150
Trachurus trachurus Horse mackerel 1.0 91 80 130
Zoarces viviparus Eelpout 0.3 14 120 220
0.5 42

Area 24

Latin name English name Weight (kg) Number Min. Length (mm) Max. Length (mm)
Actiniaria 0.0 1
Agonus cataphractus Pogge 0.1 3 140 190
Arctica islandica Ocean quahaug 122.6 6741
Asterias rubens Common starfish 0.0 1
Carcinus maenas Common shore crab 0.5 14
Clupea harengus Herring 4280.7 84784 75 300
Cyclopterus lumpus Lumpfish 0.8 3 170 170
Enchelyopus cimbrius Four-bearded rockling 5.0 46 180 310
Gadus morhua Cod 444.5 2542 80 740
Gasterosteus aculeatus Three-spined stickleback 0.0 6 50 60
Hyperoplus lanceolatus Greater sandeel 0.1 3 185 190
Limanda limanda Dab 29.4 252 120 300
Melanogrammus aeglefinus Haddock 0.4 2 240 310
Merlangius merlangus Whiting 44.3 237 180 400
Myoxocephalus scorpius Sculpin 4.8 20 140 260
Mytilus edulis Blue mussel 12.8 4444
Platichthys flesus Flounder 366.9 2086 150 390
Pleuronectes platessa Plaice 340.1 5539 120 360
Pomatoschistus spp. Sand gobies 0.0 2 50 50
Scomber scombrus Mackerel 0.1 1 230 230
Scophthalmus maximus Turbot 5.2 20 180 320
Solea solea Sole 0.2 1 270 270
Sprattus sprattus Sprat 500.4 49027 60 175
Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis Green sea urchin 0.0 2

Area 25

Latin name English name Weight (kg) Number Min. Length (mm) Max. Length (mm)
Agonus cataphractus Pogge 0.1 2 170 170
Alosa fallax Twaite shad 1.7 5 290 370
Anguilla anguilla Eel 0.5 1 660 660
Arctica islandica Ocean quahaug 0.1 19
Clupea harengus Herring 5760.3 119825 80 295
Cyclopterus lumpus Lumpfish 2.1 8 150 210
Enchelyopus cimbrius Four-bearded rockling 5.1 104 60 320
Engraulis encrasicolus Anchovy 0.0 1 130 130
Gadus morhua Cod 3262.9 28268 40 550
Gasterosteus aculeatus Three-spined stickleback 0.0 10 30 70
Gobiidae True gobies 0.0 4 40 40
Limanda limanda Dab 1.2 14 140 250
Melanogrammus aeglefinus Haddock 0.2 1 270 270
Merlangius merlangus Whiting 16.1 102 150 350
Myoxocephalus scorpius Sculpin 30.1 255 120 280
Mytilus edulis Blue mussel 0.5 235
Platichthys flesus Flounder 3567.3 20280 150 400
Pleuronectes platessa Plaice 153.0 1784 130 340
Pollachius virens Saithe 0.1 1 240 240
Pomatoschistus spp. Sand gobies 0.0 2 40 40
Saduria entomon Saduria 0.0 37
Scomber scombrus Mackerel 0.1 2 220 220
Scophthalmus maximus Turbot 1.7 5 150 330
Scophthalmus rhombus Brill 0.2 1 260 260
Sprattus sprattus Sprat 2343.6 190589 65 160