The sixth joint ecosystem survey was carried out during the period 1 August to 4 October 2008. The survey encompasses various surveys that previously have been carried out jointly for at national basis. Joint investigations include the 0-group survey, the acoustic survey for pelagic fish (previously known as the capelin survey), and the investigations on young Greenland halibut north and east of Spitsbergen. Oceanographic investigations have always formed a part of these surveys, and studies on plankton have been included for many years. In recent years, observations of sea mammals, seabirds, bottom fishes and benthos have been included. Consequently, from 2003, these surveys were called “ecosystem surveys”.