RV Littorina 02/12 Cruise Report [L12-02] Sagasbank (Mecklenburg Bay, Baltic Sea) 27th February – 2nd March 2012

This cruise with the RV LITTORINA was the first of three planed legs to be carried out in the area of the Sagasbank (Mecklenburg Bay). Sagas-Bank is an elevation east of the Wagrian peninsula with several elevations of up to 8 meters below sea level (Figure 1). The center of Sagasbank is marked by the 10 m contour line. Sagasbank and the adjacent submarine areas (in total 3.238 km²) are declared as FFH-site (flora-fauna-habitat). Residual sediments (boulders, blocks, sand and gravel) of the last glacial period are ideal habitat for submarine flora and benthic organisms. Here, 115 macro-zoobenthic species (with at least 20 red list species) and 17 algae species (with 6 red list species) are living on Sagasbank. The shallow water area is also habitat for porpoises and one of the most important bird resting places in the Baltic Sea. The habitat is exposed to fishing industry, military and sporting and leisure activities. This cruise is part of cooperation between the Institute of Geosciences at the University of Kiel and the local authority ‘Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume’ (LLUR). The aim of this cruise (and the following two) is a full coverage, hydroacoustic mapping of Sagasbank and the surrounding area. The hydroacoustic data are calibrated by grab sampling and under water videos. Of special interest are the regions covered with hard substrate providing habitat for macro-zoobenthos and fishes.