scholarly journals Incidental catch of marine organisms registered in the Chilean Antarctic krill fishery, years 2012-2016

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-439
Author(s):  
Patricio M. Arana ◽  
Renzo Rolleri
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Antarctic Waters ◽  
Incidental Catch ◽  
Lepidonotothen Larseni ◽  
Potential Interactions

Krill (Euphausia superba) catch is currently the most relevant fishery industry in Antarctic waters. This resource is a keystone species in the Antarctic food web, sustaining the contribution to the trophic ecology of many invertebrate and vertebrate species. To catch krill, part of the fleet in this fishery uses large mid-water nets that also retain a diversity of other organisms like plankton, meroplankton, and fish species as bycatch. Therefore, it is necessary to understand and evaluate the magnitude of this incidental catch, as well as the potential interactions between krill fishing gear with seabirds and mammals. To estimate the composition and extent of bycatch for this fishery included 784 samples of 25 kg and an equal number of 1 kg sub-samples obtained from Antarctic krill catches in Subarea 48, between years 2012 and 2016. A total of 15 fish species were identified along with the record of five other taxa and other unidentified specimens. The most relevant fish species bycaught by weight were mackerel icefish Champsocephalus gunnari, South Georgia icefish Pseudochaenichthys georgianus, and painted notie Lepidonotothen larseni. Additionally, 20 interactions with seabirds and nine interactions with Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) were registered. In the five years of operations, only three seabirds died, and only two individuals of A. gazelle caught by the net were killed. 

Observations on moulting in Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba Dana)

1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Ikeda ◽  
P Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Phaeodactylum Tricornutum ◽  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Dunaliella Tertiolecta ◽  
Antarctic Ocean ◽  
Fish Food ◽  
Antarctic Waters ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Antarctic Krill Euphausia Superba

Live E. superba were transported from Antarctic waters to a tropical laboratory where observations at the temperature of -0.5�C (0 to - 1.0�C), were made of intermoult period of specimens fed a mixture of microalgae (Dunaliella tertiolecta and Phaeodactylum tricornutum) or artificial pet fish food or starved. Mean intermoult period was 26.4-27.1 days for fed specimens and 29.6 days for starved specimens, with no relation to the size of specimens. The moult accounted for a loss of 2.63-4.35% of animal dry weight, which is equivalent to 1.1-1.8% of animal nitrogen or 1.4-2.3% of animal carbon. The contribution of moults to detritus in the Antarctic Ocean was estimated as 0.11 g C m-2 per year.

scholarly journals Sex identification from distinctive gene expression patterns in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba)

Polar Biology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 2205-2217
Author(s):  
Leonie Suter ◽  
Andrea Maree Polanowski ◽  
Robert King ◽  
Chiara Romualdi ◽  
Gabriele Sales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Sex Determination ◽  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Sex Differentiation ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Large Gene ◽  
Juvenile Stages

Abstract Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a highly abundant keystone species of the Southern Ocean ecosystem, directly connecting primary producers to high-trophic level predators. Sex ratios of krill vary remarkably between swarms and this phenomenon is poorly understood, as identification of krill sex relies on external morphological differences that appear late during development. Sex determination mechanisms in krill are unknown, but could include genetic, environmental or parasitic mechanisms. Similarly, virtually nothing is known about molecular sex differentiation. The krill genome has to date not been sequenced, and due to its enormous size and large amount of repetitive elements, it is currently not feasible to develop sex-specific DNA markers. To produce a reliable molecular marker for sex in krill and to investigate molecular sex differentiation we therefore focused on identifying sex-specific transcriptomic differences. Through transcriptomic analysis, we found large gene expression differences between testes and ovaries and identified three genes exclusively expressed in female whole krill from early juvenile stages onwards. The sex-specific expression of these three genes persisted through sexual regression, although our regressed samples originated from a krill aquarium and may differ from wild-regressed krill. Two slightly male-biased genes did not display sufficient expression differences to clearly differentiate sexes. Based on the expression of the three female-specific genes we developed a molecular test that for the first time allows the unambiguous sex determination of krill samples lacking external sex-specific features from juvenile stages onwards, including the sexually regressed krill we examined.

Consumption of Antarctic krill by Minke whales

1991 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Armstrong ◽  
W.R. Siegfried
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Ingestion Rate ◽  
Austral Summer ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Minke Whale ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
Minke Whales ◽  
Antarctic Waters ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Sexually Mature

The consumption of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) by an “average-sized” (male 6994 kg; female 8249 kg), sexually mature Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) was estimated, from stomach capacity, ingestion rate and respiratory allometry methods. Estimates obtained from the stomach capacity and respiratory allometry methods differed by 17%–23%. An “average-sized” male Minke whale consumes 37.2 t of krill during a 90-day stay, and an “average-sized” female Minke whale consumes 56.2 t of krill during a 120-day stay, in Antarctic waters during the austral summer. It is estimated that the Minke whale population in the Antarctic (60°S and higher) consumes 35.5 × 106 t of krill annually.

scholarly journals Wintertime overlaps between female Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) and the krill fishery at South Georgia, South Atlantic

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248071
Author(s):  
Connor C. G. Bamford ◽  
Victoria Warwick-Evans ◽  
Iain J. Staniland ◽  
Jennifer A. Jackson ◽  
Philip N. Trathan
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Arctocephalus Gazella ◽  
Habitat Models ◽  
South Georgia ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Fur Seal ◽  
Ice Edge ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Antarctic Fur Seals

The diet of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) at South Georgia is dominated by Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). During the breeding season, foraging trips by lactating female fur seals are constrained by their need to return to land to provision their pups. Post-breeding, seals disperse in order to feed and recover condition; estimates indicate c.70% of females remain near to South Georgia, whilst others head west towards the Patagonian Shelf or south to the ice-edge. The krill fishery at South Georgia operates only during the winter, providing the potential for fur seal: fishery interaction during these months. Here we use available winter (May to September) tracking data from Platform Terminal Transmitter (PTT) tags deployed on female fur seals at Bird Island, South Georgia. We develop habitat models describing their distribution during the winters of 1999 and 2003 with the aim of visualising and quantifying the degree of spatial overlap between female fur seals and krill harvesting in South Georgia waters. We show that spatial distribution of fur seals around South Georgia is extensive, and that the krill fishery overlaps with small, highly localised areas of available fur seal habitat. From these findings we discuss the implications for management, and future work.

Observation on behaviours of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in lighting condition

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 300
Author(s):  
Peng-xiang XU ◽  
Ying-chun LI ◽  
Guo-ping ZHU ◽  
Hui XIA ◽  
Liu-xiong XU
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Lighting Condition ◽  
Antarctic Krill Euphausia Superba

scholarly journals Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) exhibit positive phototaxis to white LED light

Polar Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-489
Author(s):  
Bjørn A. Krafft ◽  
Ludvig A. Krag
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Artificial Light ◽  
White Led ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
Positive Phototaxis ◽  
Led Light ◽  
Exposure Experiment

AbstractThe use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is increasingly used in fishing gears and its application is known to trigger negative or positive phototaxis (i.e., swimming away or toward the light source, respectively) for some marine species. However, our understanding of how artificial light influences behavior is poorly understood for many species and most studies can be characterized as trial and error experiments. In this study, we tested whether exposure to white LED light could initiate a phototactic response in Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). Trawl-caught krill were used in a controlled artificial light exposure experiment conducted onboard a vessel in the Southern Ocean. The experiment was conducted in chambers with dark and light zones in which krill could move freely. Results showed that krill displayed a significant positive phototaxis. Understanding this behavioral response is relevant to development of krill fishing technology to improve scientific sampling gear, improve harvest efficiency, and reduce potential unwanted bycatch.

scholarly journals Experimental determination of reflectance spectra of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in the Scotia Sea

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Anna Belcher ◽  
Sophie Fielding ◽  
Andrew Gray ◽  
Lauren Biermann ◽  
Gabriele Stowasser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Reflectance Spectra ◽  
Spectral Signature ◽  
Absorption Feature ◽  
Scotia Sea ◽  
Surface Ocean ◽  
Measuring Surface ◽  
Ground Truthing

Abstract Antarctic krill are the dominant metazoan in the Southern Ocean in terms of biomass; however, their wide and patchy distribution means that estimates of their biomass are still uncertain. Most currently employed methods do not sample the upper surface layers, yet historical records indicate that large surface swarms can change the water colour. Ocean colour satellites are able to measure the surface ocean synoptically and should theoretically provide a means for detecting and measuring surface krill swarms. Before we can assess the feasibility of remote detection, more must be known about the reflectance spectra of krill. Here, we measure the reflectance spectral signature of Antarctic krill collected in situ from the Scotia Sea and compare it to that of in situ water. Using a spectroradiometer, we measure a strong absorption feature between 500 and 550 nm, which corresponds to the pigment astaxanthin, and high reflectance in the 600–700 nm range due to the krill's red colouration. We find that the spectra of seawater containing krill is significantly different from seawater only. We conclude that it is tractable to detect high-density swarms of krill remotely using platforms such as optical satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles, and further steps to carry out ground-truthing campaigns are now warranted.

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