Since 2005 the total Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) catch in the Statistical Area 48 has been sustainably increasing. Total krill catch was some higher than 100 000 tons in 2005-2007, moving to the catch level higher of 200 000 tons in 2013, and reaching over 370 000 tons since 2019. The current level of Antarctic krill catch in the Statistical Area 48 is limited mostly by available catch limits for the Statistical Subarea 48.1 and for the Statistical Subarea 48.2.
The statistics separately by fishing system type says that the intensity of krill fishing was slightly growing with the use of traditional (conventional) trawls (krill catch by conventional trawls in 2022 exceeds 26% such catch in 2008. At the same time, the krill catch amount growing in Area 48 was much more in part of use of the continuous fishing system (a value of krill catch by continuous fishing system in 2022 was exceeded by 442% such catch in 2008).
Observed trend to the growth of continuous fishing system krill catch could be considered as a warning that a more economically effective continuous fishing system will displace step by step the conventional trawls due to growing competition for krill catch limits. It is proposed to establish a limitation to the continuous fishing system fishery within Area 48, establishing that only up to 70% of the total allowable krill catch can be harvested with the continuous fishing system.