Composition and standing stock estimates of finfish from the Polarstern bottom trawl survey around Elephant Island and the South Shetland Islands (Subarea 48.1, 19 December 2006 to 3 January 2007)

Germany conducted a bottom trawl survey aboard R/V ‘Polarstern’ around Elephant Island and the South Shetland Islands from 19 December 2006 to 3 January 2007. Information on species composition, biomass, and size composition of the abundant fish species was provided. Estimates of total biomass for Elephant Island and the South Shetland Islands separately as well as biomass overall were provided for Notothenia rossii, N. coriiceps, Lepidonotothen larseni, L. squamifrons, Gobionotothen gibberifrons, Champsocephalus gunnari, Chaenocephalus aceratus and Chionodraco rastrospinosus. Biomass was found to be much lower than in 2002 and 2003 for C. gunnari, C. aceratus, C. rastrospinosus, G. gibberifrons, L. larseni and L. squamifrons while biomass was found to be higher in N. coriiceps around the South Shetland Islands and N. rossii in both areas. The proportion of juvenile G. gibberifrons, decreased further due to the production of poor year – classes since the late 1990’s. A concentration of N. rossii was found in the same location where aggregations of the species have been detected in 1975/76 and 1977/78 before they were depleted by the commercial fishery. Two concentrations of N. coriiceps were met in the South Shetland Islands. Given the low stock size of most species it is recommended to leave Elephant Island and the South Shetland Islands closed for commercial finfishing.