Plan of research program of the Ukraine in Subarea 48.2 in 2016 (second season)

During March-April 2015 Ukraine began the research within statistical subarea 48.2. The research activities on the assessment of the stock state of the Dissostichus spp species in subarea 48.2 will be carried out within three years. Implementation of the tagging program in the long-term prospective will provide the indicators for the procedure of abundance assessment of the studied species in this area based on the repeatedly caught tagged fish specimens according to the CASAL methodology. The certain number of the following bottom long line surveys are proposed to be conducted during March-April 2016. Investigated area will be demarcated on two blocks - Northern and Southern. During the season of year 2016 we propose to remain the majority of surveys in the Northern Block as were conducted in year 2015 in order to repeat them in the same coordinates. In the Southern Block where relatively high quantity of tagged fish were released we propose the creation of the new research block with another conditions of the investigation. On the four sea bottom risings, which are probably enough isolated from each other, we propose to conduct 25 sets. Proposed to tag 3 fish per ton in the Southern Block, remained the ratio 5 fish per ton in the Northern Block.