Western Channel sole and plaice 2020/21 - Fisheries Science Partnership

One of the Fisheries Science Partnership (FSP) survey series of Western Channel sole and plaice. The survey’s main aim is to show trends in the distribution, abundance and age composition of sole (*Solea solea*) and plaice (*Pleuronectes platessa*), and to provide some information on bycatch species. At each station sampled, shot and haul, positional, depth and times information were recorded, and for all species of fish and shellfish length distribution data were taken. Otoliths were collected from sole and plaice to provide individual age at length information.Due to the 2020 COVID pandemic, the commencement of the survey was delayed until November as it could not take place at the time it usually occurs (August/September), and the collection of length distribution data had to be restricted to sole and plaice only.