Proposal for a second longline survey of toothfish in the northern Ross Sea region (SSRUs 882A and B)

We propose the continuation of a multi-member research project using standardised longline gear to sample the toothfish populations in the northern areas (61°‑ 66° S) of SSRUs 88.2A–B. The purpose of the research as requested by the Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR XXXII, paragraph 3.76) is to characterise the local toothfish populations found there to better understand stock structure, movement patterns and improve estimation of population characteristics by Ross Sea spatial population models. Four of the eleven research blocks were sampled in 2015. Additional outcomes of the research relate to mapping the bathymetry of fishable areas, documenting relative abundance of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, tagging toothfish for biomass estimation and for stock linkage studies, and collecting information on distribution, relative abundance, and life history of bycatch species.