CCAMLR

An acoustic survey at 38 and 120 kHz was carried out from RRS Discovery in the Bellingshausen Sea from 23 November to 7 December 1992 as part of the UK Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) Southern Ocean investigations (TuRNER and OWENS, 1995). A total of 285 targets were identified and described from the chart record of the echo sounder. Mean Volume Backscattering Strength data were collected using an echo integration system. These data are used to describe the spatial and temporal variability of krill (Euphausia superba) distribution and biomass in the marginal ice edge zone. Krill biomass density varied from a mean of 42 g m-2 during the first survey phase to 19.6 g m-2 on the second survey phase. The number of small swarms detected during the second phase was greater than during the first phase. On this first survey a large swarm (2.8 km in extent) had a potential biomass of 3.7 x 104 tonnes. Some calculations are presented to show the potential impact of krill on the flux of carbon in the area of the survey.

In this present report the change of the Antarctic krill distribution pattern from December 1983 to January/February 1984 in the vicinity of Prydz Bay was analysed. The results showed the remarkable change of sex ratio and coefficient of fatness between the early summer and the midsummer. The waters indicating the high ratios of female krill with the high coefficient of fatness were considered to be suitable spawning grounds for krill. These waters were characterized by the remarkable Shelf Slope Water originated from the cold Winter Water.

This document submits the basic information on the hydrographic flux in Statistical Area 88 of CCAMLR in the Pacific sector. Those are surface geostrophic flow in the whole of the Statistical Area 88 and vertical distributions of geostrophic velocity and temperature along 90°W, 120°W, 170°W and 175°E respectively.

This paper summaries Japanese krill catch data during austral summer in 1992/93 season. A main fishing ground was persistently formed north of the Livingston Island. CPUEs show the highest values at the height of summer (late February - late March).Krill with modal length of 41-45mm were dominant in catches, almost same as the previous season.

On the processes to investigate a proper model for understanding the processes that govern the biochemical cycle in Antarctic Ocean, we made a research plan as follows: (1) to develop an OGCM (Ocean General Circulation Model) (2) to develop a one dimensional ecosystem model that can be applied to primary production in Antarctic Ocean (3) to develop an ecosystem model able to describe krill ecology (4) to develop a numerical model to couple the OGCM and ecosystem models (5) to develop a numerical model including the effect of marine mammal consumption and catch of krill (6) to develop the integrated model with the above 5 items. This year, we have developed an OGCM and a one dimensional ecosystem model for the Antarctic Ocean. The OGCM we use is originally developed by CCSR (Center for Climate System Research. University of Tokyo) and the one dimensional ecosystem model by Kawamiya et al. (1994) with seven compartments and coupled with a one dimensional mixed layer model for calculating the diffusion coefficient.

Observations on abundance of by-catch fishes were made during the austral summer months of 1994 (from January 12 to February 18) on board F/V Niitaka Maru in the north of the South Shetland Islands. Among 99 net hauls examined, a total of 77 specimens of fishes belonging to 13 species were found in 25 trawl catches (Table 1).
Among by-catch fishes, juvenile Lepidonotothen larseni was the most abundant (26 individuals) and most common species (found at 11 hauls). Juvenile and postlarval Chaenocephalus aceratus (13 individuals from 4 hauls) and Chaenodraco wilsoni (10 individuals from 6 hauls) were also secondary abundant. To compare abundance of each fish species, the index of its occurrence in 100kg of kril1 was calculated (Tables 2 and 3).
Fish abundance could have been depended on the density of krill concentration (Figs. 1 and 2). The large incidental catch of fishes occurred in hauls with the low krill catch rates (Hauls. 36 and 47), and fishes are not found or rare within krill swarms of higher density.

Earlier initial modelling attempts by the authors are extended to consider the situation where predator survival rates depend on other factors in addition to krill biomass. This is achieved by making the survival rates depend instead on krill "availability", where there is a random component in the relationship between krill biomass and availability. An examination of the consequences in the case of the blackbrowed albatross suggest that these other factors result in yet lesser resilience of the albatross population to the effects of a krill fishery. An approach for estimating the parameters of functional relationships between survival rates and krill biomass (or availability) is introduced. This is based on the method of moments, and is applied to series of survival rate estimates provided by WG-CEMP members for the blackbrowed albatross and Antarctic fur seal. Attempts are made to estimate the levels of krill harvesting which would result in halving the sizes of various krill predator populations, and the precision and robustness to model-misspecification of the associated estimator are investigated. Results in those regards are not too encouraging. Estimates of the functional relationships for the blackbrowed albatross and Antarctic fur seal indicate a surprisingly low resilience of these populations to the effects of a krill fishery. Discussion is needed as to whether this reflects an inappropriate modelling approach, or results from possible negative bias in estimates of survival rates from field data.

Preliminary computations are carried out for the krill yield model of Butterworth et al. (1993), adjusted as requested by the fifth meeting of WG-KRILL. This involves modifying the input distributions for the lengths at recruitment and maturity, natural mortality and the extent of recruitment variability. Sensitivity tests are carried out to assess the consequences of avoidance of gravid females by the fishery, and higher natural mortality for younger ages of krill. Results do not differ greatly from those of comparative calculations in Butterworth et al. (1993), except at higher harvesting intensities for which greater resource depletion is indicated. Comparatively greater depletion is also evident for males when gravid females are avoided, and if natural mortality is higher for younger ages.