Krill catches and consumption by land-based predators in relation to distance from colonies of penguins and seals in the South Shetlands and South Orkneys, 1987-1990

Zones of 20 km width are defined around selected colonies of penguins distributed around the coasts of the South Shetland and South Orkney islands. Krill catches in these zones are shown to have a consistent pattern in Subarea 48.1 but an unpredictable distribution in 48.2, probably as a result of oceanographic conditions. About 50% of the catch in 48.1 from December to March was taken within 40 km of the coast, and 90% within 80 km in all years 1988-1990. In 1987 and 1988 75% of the catch in 48.2 between December and March was taken within 80km of colonies in the South Orkneys. Estimates of consumption rates, foraging ranges and population sizes from the literature are used to show that for some years, months and zones of distance from the shore the catch of krill is 50% or more of the land-based predator consumption.