THE U-TOW - A SYSTEM FOR SAMPLING MESOZOOPLANKTON OVER EXTENDED SPATIAL SCALES

A new system is described for sampling mesozooplankton over extended s patial scales. This system, called the U-Tow, is small (similar to 1 m long), can be towed at high speed (>10 knots) and collects mesozoopla nkton in up to 50 discrete samples on a roll of filtering mesh. The sp atial resolution of samples is dictated by the advance interval of the filtering mesh, which, in turn, is software controlled. So, for examp le, if each sample provides an integrated catch over 20 km, a single d eployment may cover up to 1000 km. The U-Tow can carry a range of sens or packages with data being stored either in an internal data logger o r transferred in real time up a conducting cable to be logged on the t owing ship. Additionally, the U-Tow has the capability to undulate and hence sample at a range of depths. Initial results from deployments i n the NE Atlantic and Irish Sea are described.