Shifts in the demersal fish community of South Georgia

The heavily exploited fish stocks of South Georgia have been declining since the early 1970's. Use of a non-parametric method revealed a significant change in this community from the 1986/87 survey to the 1987/88 survey. This change was the result of reductions in the abundance of Champsocephalus gunnari and Notothenia squamifrons, and the increased presence of Pseudochaenichthys georgianus. Fishing mortality was the most likely mechanism affecting these changes in C. gunnari and N. squamifrons, but reasons for the increase of Ps. georgianus are unclear. More surveys are needed to provide the data necessary to understand the dynamics of this system.