Connecting observer data to fishery management needs: A comparison of two concurrent datasets from the Norwegian krill fishing vessel Antarctic Endurance

The current krill management approach endorsed by CCAMLR will require systematic data collection on a variety of spatial and temporal scales for each of the three pillars of the plan: the biomass assessment, the Grym model, and the risk assessment layer. The CCAMLR Scheme of International Scientific Observers (SISO) is one source of data with the potential to provide much of the needed data for management. Here, we examine the effects of methodological differences in data collection by comparing concurrently collected length frequencies from CCAMLR SO's, and obtained through CCAMLR, to those collected as part of an AWI research project. We discuss the results and potential changes to SO protocol in light of the evolving needs of CCAMLR krill management.