Diet composition and feeding strategy of Antarctic toothfish, Dissostichus mawsoni in the research blocks 58 and 88 for the exploratory longline fishery in 2014–2018 of Korea

The stocks of Antarctic toothfish, Dissostichus mawsoni were a relatively economically and ecologically important fishery resource in the waters of Antarctic. However, there is not enough data and information to assess the robust stocks and deliberate proper measurements for sustainable utilize, especially relate to diet and feeding strategy which may lead to think about ecosystem based stock assessments and fishery managements. Therefore, the Korean scientists analyze diet composition and feeding strategy of D. mawsoni in the research blocks 58 and 88 as a part of Korean research plan for the exploratory longline fishery for Dissostichus spp. during 2014/2018 season. This study was carried out based on the results of stomach content identification of the D. mawsoni caught in the research blocks 58 and 88 in CCAMLR Conversion Area during season (December-March) per year from 2014 to 2018. The diet composition and feeding strategy of D.  mawsoni were studied using 1,786 specimens and 1,062 in the research blocks 58 and 88, respectively. D. mawsoni is a carnivore and piscivorous fish that mainly consumed fishes. Its diet also included small quantities of mollusks, crustaceans, stones, anthozoans, echinoderms, eggs, birds, and mammals. In this study, fishes were the dominant prey item in all size classes (<100 cm, 100-120 cm, 120-140 cm, 140-160 cm, 160< cm). The graphical method for feeding strategy revealed that D. mawsoni is an opportunistic and specialized predator on fishes, and showed narrow niche width.