ARK sponsored krill survey takes off

On Wednesday, 9 January 2019, the FV Cabo de Hornos, with a group of six scientists from Norway, Germany and Chile, led by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR), departed from Punta Arenas, Chile, and sailed towards the gelid waters of the Southern Ocean.

The main objective of this voyage was to conduct a survey to assess the status of Antarctic krill around the Antarctic Peninsula and the Scotia Sea Arc, an area roughly the size of France and Germany combined. The survey also assessed the abundance of whales along the transects, and critical environmental variables that will help in understanding the relationship of krill and its habitat.

The survey, lasting 55 days and covering 7 677 nautical miles, was sponsored by ARK Members as part of their commitment to the sustainable management of the krill fishery. Along with a parallel survey by the RV Konprins Haakon from Norway, both vessels conducted more than 80% of the transects arranged for this study.

This krill survey is part of a concerted effort by Norway, UK, China, South Korea and Ukraine to understand the current status of the krill population in the Southern Ocean. Results will be analyzed by IMR and presented to CCAMLR with the aim of improving understanding of the krill population and improving its management.

Planned survey transects for all vessels participating in the 2019 Scotia Sea krill monitoring effort.