By-catch of fish during a 1995/96 deep-sea longline experimental fishing cruise off the Kerguelen Islands (Division 58.5.1)

An experimental longline fishing cruise targetting D. eleginoides has been realised in the deep-sea zone (300 - 1700 m) off the Kerguelen islands (Division 58-5-1) from February to April 1996. The by-catch has been identified with 10 species of fish reaching a important part (36,1%) of the total catch in number. The grenadier Macrourus carinatus and two species of skates Bathyraja eatonii and Bathyraja irrasa are the dominant species in the by-catch. The morid Antimora rostrata is also a common by-catch. The other species are rare but the predatory effect of the two big sharks Somniosus microcephalus and Lamna nasus on longline caught D. eleginoides must be considered as not negligeable. Geographical and bathymetrical differences in the by-catch species distribution is noted. The mean abundances follow the differences. Size distribution in the main by-catch species show that some, like the grenadiers and the skates, have a commercial potentiality if a deep-sea fishery occurs in the future.