Fish bycatch requires accurate information to develop conservation and management strategies. Within the Antarctic krill fishery, larval, juvenile and adult fish are regularly observed as bycatch. Here we describe a research project that addresses key questions in krill fisheries management related to the interactions between early life history stages of fish and the fisheries, and the development of improved mechanisms for identifying fish bycatch to enhance reporting to CCAMLR.
This project aims to identify which fish species and life stages are caught using integrative taxonomy methods; assess the spatial distribution of fish bycatch to understand which, where and when each species is caught; and use this information to support the fisheries management efforts promoted by CCAMLR and produce enhanced identification tools for international fisheries observers.