Krill for whales – Fine scale acoustic krill surveys in Area 48.1

Antarctic krill are a keystone species in the Southern Ocean, supporting large populations of higher predators and a commercial fishery. As baleen whales recover from commercial exploitation, we urgently need information on predator dietary requirements and foraging locations to help inform sustainable krill fishery management. Here we outline the first of two planned fine scale krill surveys in Area 48.1, and present preliminary results of krill swarm metrics at the South Shetland Islands and canyon locations off the Antarctic Peninsula, that are understood to be important for baleen whales.