Reports on abundance and biological information of toothfish in Division 58.4.4a & b by Shinsei Maru No. 3 in 2012/13 season

A survey was conducted to collect data of stock status and various biological information of toothfish in SSRUs C and D of Division 58.4.4a & b (Ob Lena Banks) from April 25 to May 22, 2013. A total of 64 research hauls using normal trotline system were made in SSRUs C and D. Total catch of Dissostichus eleginoides (excluding those tagged and released) was 31.1 tonnes in the survey area from 64 longline sets. Mean CPUEs in terms of weight of D. eleginoides was 70.6 kg / km (CV = 79.1%) and 44.2 kg / km (CV = 91.9%) in SSRUs C and D, respectively. Both nominal and standardized CPUEs were relatively higher in 2011 but showed no clear tendencies with the years in SSRU C. Fish in single-hooked and good physical condition constituted 31.6 and 27.1 % of the total catch in SSRUs C and D, respectively. The possible maximum tagging rate was calculated to be 30.1 fish per tonnes and 23.5 fish per tonnes in SSRUs C and D, respectively.  Accordingly sufficient numbers of fish suitable for tagging was captured by using the normal trotline system. A total of 233 fish of D. eleginoides in good physical condition and single-hooked were tagged and released during the survey, and 3 fish of D. eleginoides, which were tagged and released in SSRU C in 2007/08 and 2010/11, were recaptured in the same SSRU. No set was affected by killer whales in both SSRUs.