Proposal for a longline survey of toothfish in the northern Ross Sea region (SSRUs 88.2 A and B)

Numéro du document:

WG-SAM-14/34

Auteur(s):

Delegations of New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom

Soumis par:

Doug Cooper (Secrétariat de la CCAMLR)

Point(s) de l'ordre du jour

WG-SAM-14 - 4 - Review of scientific research proposals for other areas (e.g. closed areas, areas with zero catch limits, Subareas 88.1 and 88.2)

Résumé

We propose a multi-year and multi-member research plan using standardised longline gear to sample the toothfish populations in the northern areas (61° - 66° S) of SSRUs 88.2A–B. The purpose of the research as requested by the Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR XXXII, paragraph 3.76) is to characterise the local toothfish populations found there to better understand stock structure, movement patterns and improve estimation of population characteristics predicted by Ross Sea spatial population models. Additional outcomes of the research relate to mapping the bathymetry of the fishable area, documenting relative abundance of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, tagging toothfish for biomass estimation and for stock linkage studies, and collecting information on distribution, relative abundance, and life history of bycatch species.