A characterisation of the toothfish fishery and tagging programme in the Amundsen Sea region (SSRUs 88.2C–H) through 2015–16

This report provides a characterisation of the toothfish fishery and associated tagging programme in the Amundsen Sea Region (SSRUs 88.2C–H) up to and including the 2015/16 fishing year. A research plan was implemented in the region beginning in 2014/15 to concentrate fishing in the South (SSRUs 88.2C-G) into four smaller research blocks in order to increase the likelihood of recaptures of previously tagged toothfish. In 2015/16, a total of 9 inter-season tagged fish were recaptured in these research blocks, confirming the utility of this approach to recapture tagged fish, and providing key information on the size of the population. Furthermore, 11 tagged fish were recaptured in the north (SSRU 88.2H). The data provided in this paper form the basis for the data inputs into the stock assessment for the Amundsen Sea region.