PROPERTIES OF KRILL DISTRIBUTION IN PELAGIC AND COASTAL SSMUs OF THE SOUTH ORKNEY ISLANDS SUBAREA ACCORDING TO THE DATA OF SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATIONS AND FISHERY

In this paper the krill spatial distribution in the in coastal and pelagic SSMUs of the Subarea 48.2 depending on oceanological factors is considered. Estimates of krill biomass and aggregation characteristics, and krill transport factors according to different modifications of Antarctic water mass are presented based on the CCAMLR 2000 Survey data. It is shown, that despite the high biomass concentrated in the South Orkney Pelagic Area (SOPA) during the CCAMLR 2000 Survey, the krill aggregation patterns did not meet the requirements of the present day fishery. Krill distribution and water mass circulation according to CCAMLR 2000 Survey (January-February 2000) are compared with those obtained from the data of long-term observations and fishery in Subarea 48.2. The types of geostrophic current fields and correspondent fishing ground allocations in the South Orkney Islands area revealed from 1962 to 1997 are presented. It is concluded that the development of options for krill stock management call for actual materials, describing annual and seasonal changes in biomass and characteristics of krill distribution in the SSMUs areas.