Results of the Dissostichus spp. new fisheries projects in the Antarctic region (CCAMLR Statistical Subareas 48.1, 48.2 and 88.3)

During February and March 1998, a 43-day cruise on FV Tierra del Fuego was conducted as part of the New Fisheries Projects developed by Chile, mainly in order to establish presence of Dissostichus spp. in the CCAMLR Statistical Subareas 48.1, 48.2 and 88.3. Industrial longlines Spanish system were used for the operations, with variable quantities of fishhooks (1 440-4 320), No. 9 Mustard Kirby type, mainly between 600 and 2 550 m deep. Sardines (Sardinops sagax) and squids (Illex argentinus) were used as bait. The results of this research indicated that the Antarctic toothfish (D. mawsoni) was registered on the surroundings of Pedro I Island (Latitude 68°49'S), and from the Bellingshausen Sea (Latitude 70038'S) to the Clarence and Elephant Islands (Latitude 61°14'S). While the Patagonian toothfish (D. eleginoides) was captured from King George Island, in the Antarctic-Pacific Ocean (latitude 61°24'S) to the Scottish Sea in the Antarctic-Atlantic (Latitude 58°01'S). The Dissostichus spp. yielded small quantities in the three subareas, with values of only 5.7 g/hook (Subarea 88.3), 19.1 g/hook (Subarea 48.1) and 3.0 g/hook (Subarea 48.2), with a total average of 11.1 g/hook.