A multi-year research plan as outlined in CM 41-04 (2012, 2013 & 2014) was initiated Statistical Subarea 48.6 by Japan and South Africa during the 2012/13 fishing season. Two vessels participated in the research project in each of the three fishing seasons and the progress achieved during the first 2.5 years is reported.
Between December 2012 and April 2015 a total of 291 Dissostichus eleganoides and 3273 D. mawsoni were tagged and released, and a total of 10 and 49 tagged D. eleganoides and D. mawsoni, respectively were recaptured. It is encouraging that 10 tagged D. mawsoni have been recaptured in the southern half of Subarea 48.6 already in the current season, more than total number for all previous seasons.
To date for the first three years of the research project biological data have been collected from 25 052 toothfish and length data from a total of 15 157 individuals from 18 different species.